Alsomitra.] lxv. cucurbitace^. 853 



young, covered with a white bloom when adult. Commonly 



cultivated by the Chinese and Malays. 

 Cucumis sativus L. Native name : Timun China. Cucumber. 

 Cticurbila Pepo L. Native names : Labu Ayer ; Labu Manis ; 



Labu Pringgi. The pumpkin. 

 Cucurbita maxima Duch. Native name : Labu. Gourd. 

 Lagenaria vulgaris Ser. Native names : Labu Jantong ; Labu 



Ayer Putih; Labu Kendi. The bottle gourd. 

 CitnUlus vulgaris L. The water melon. Native name : Mendikai. 



Order LXVI. BEGONIACE^E. 



Succulent herbs. Stem rhizomatous or creeping, rarely tuberous, 

 often simple or erect. Leaves alternate, usually unequally bilobed 

 at base, sometimes equal-sided, entire, toothed or lobed. Stipules 2. 

 Peduncles axillary dichotomously cj^mose. Flowers white or pink, 

 unisexual. Males above, females below on the cymes. Males, 

 sepals 2, petaloid. Petals 2, similar but smaller, occasionally 

 absent. Stamens indefinite free or with the filaments connate 

 into a column ; anthers narrow linear or clubbed. Female perianth 

 as in male, or with one extra petal. Ovary 2-, 3-, or 4-celled, 

 triquetrous; ovules many; styles 2 to 4 free or connate at the 

 base. Stigmas branched or twisted. Fruit capsular, rarely succu- 

 lent, triquetrous, or 3-winged ; wings equal or one larger than the 

 other. Seeds very minute. Species 400, of 4 genera. Most 

 belong to the genus Begonia. Distrib. All warm, wet tropical 

 countries. 



BEGONIA, Linn. 



Characters of the Order. 

 (King, Journ. As. Soc. Beng. Ixxi. (2), p. 56.) 

 i. Casparya. Fruit fleshy 3-angled, not winged (i) B. tricornis 

 ii. Kniesbeckia. Capsule with 3 nearly equal narrow vertically oblong 

 wings, 3-celled. 

 Small herb ; leaves round ovate, slightly 



oblique . . . . . . (2) B. Forbesii 



Short stout plant ; leaves broad round oblique 



buUate . . . . . . (3) B. Rajah 



Tall herbs 2 to 3 ft. ; leaves very unequal at 

 base, glabrous. 

 Male flowers '2 to "3 in. wide . . . (4) B. isoptera 



Male flowers I -5 in. wide . . . • (5) B. isopteroidea 



Hairy herb i ft. tall ; leaves oblique lanceolate, 



base narrow . . . . . (6) B. barbellata 



iii. Platycentrum. Capsule 2-celled ; wings sub-equal, one larger but 

 thin; small plants ; flowers usually small. 



Leaves glabrous ; plant tuberous . . • (7) B. Curtisii 



Leaves hairy, no tubers. 



Leaves acute toothed, one or two . . (8) B. sinuata 



