III.] CUCURBITACE^.. 213 



A showy garden shrub, witli opposite or alternate entire 

 leaves and white or purple flowers in small, terminal, 

 racemose panicles. 



Observe the six outer stamens longer than the rest. In 

 a common English species of this Family {Lythniin Sali- 

 caria) there are three forms of flower, each characterised by 

 the same relative length of the style and stamens. In one, 

 the style is shorter than the six short stamens ; in another, 

 it is intermediate in length between the short and long 

 stamens ; and in the third it is longer than the long stamens. 

 These diff'erences Mr. Darwin shows to be designed to 

 favour the crossing of the stigma by the pollen of other 

 flowers, especially by flowers which have stamens corre- 

 sponding in length to the style of the flower to be fertilized. 

 Observations upon Indian species with respect to similar 

 dimorphic (or trimorphic) conditions are much needed. 

 Observe also the slight infolding of the dorsal sutures of 

 the carpels forming the syncarpous ovary of the Type- 

 species. 



A second magnificent species of Lagerstrxmia (Z. regince) 

 is a native of the Indian Peninsula. It grows to a large 

 size and affords useful timber. Grislea tonientosa, a common 

 Indian shrub, with racemes of red flowers, used as a dye 

 and in medicine, and with a persistent red calyx enclosing 

 the capsule, is a member of this Family. Henna, used by 

 Egyptian ladies to dye their nails and the palms of their 

 hands a reddish-brown colour, is obtained from the leaves 

 of Lawsofiia ijiej-mis. The nails of mummies are sometimes 

 found dyed with it. 



44. Natural Order, Ciicurbitacea. — The Gourd Family. 



Climbing or prostrate herbs, with alternate leaves and 

 lateral tendrils. Flowers unisexual. Ovary inferior. 



