88 THE FLORA OF SINGAPORE 
CUCURBITACE. 
A good many of these are cultivated by the Chinese here, 
but very few are wild. 
Trichosanthes. Slender climbing pumpkins with white fimbriate 
tubular Howers, opening about ten o’clock at night, and egg 
shaped crimson fruit yellow inside the flat seeds enclosed 
ina dark green slimy pulp. They are said to be poisonous, ~ 
but are used by the natives in medicine, the pumpkin 
being squashed on the head to cure headache. 
T. Wallichiana Wight. Very common in woods and hedges, 
all over Singapore. 
T. Wawraei Cogn. Not rare, Tanglin. 
T celebica Cogn. Leaves deep green rather stiff and shining 
trifoliate. The fruit much larger and cylindrical oblong. 
Tanglin, Choa Chu Kang. 
Commonly cultivated and sometimes occurring in waste 
evround are Lagenaria vulgaris Ser. Bottlegourd; Luffa egyptiaca 
Mill. ** Petola;” Momordica charantia L; Cucumis sativa “ Ti- 
mon,’ cucumber: C%ttrullus vulgaris Schrad. Water melon ; 
Cucurbita moschata Duch. C. pepo De C. ‘ Labu,” and Benineasa 
certifera Savi. * Kundur.” 
FICOIDE®. 
Sesuvium portulucastrum L. Herb, flowers pink. ‘Tidal mud, 
Changi, Tampenis road. 
Mollugo stricta L. “ Tapak Burong.” A small weed with white 
flowers. Common, Tanglin, Changi. 
UMBELLIFER&. 
This order, as elsewhere in the tropics, is very scantily 
represented. I have doubts as to any of the species being native. 
; I 8 
Hydrocotyle asiatica L. “ Pegaga.” <A very variable creeping 
herb, much in request as a salad and as medicine, it is 
regularly collected and sold in the herb shops. Very 
common over the whole island in grassy spots. 
