066 CUCURBITACEA. 
enveloped in a succulent or membranous covering, generally 
numerous or rarely solitary; embryo flat, without albumen; 
cotyledons leafy ; radicle towards the hilum. 
Diagnosis.—Herbs, usually of a succulent nature, prostrate 
or climbing. Leaves rough, alternate, radiate-veined, exstipu- 
late. Flowers unisexual. Calyx 5-toothed or obsolete, superior 
in the female flowers. Corolla perigynous. Male flower with 
usually 5 stamens, which are distinct, monadelphous, or tria- 
delphous, and epipetalous ; rarely there are but 2 or 3 stamens ; 
anthers long and usually sinuous or sometimes straight. Female 
flower :—Ovary inferior, with parietal placentas; style short; 
stigmas more or less dilated. Fruit succulent. Seeds flat, 
generally numerous, exalbuminous, cotyledons leafy. 
Division of the Order and Illustrative Genera.—This order 
has been divided into three sub-orders as follows :— 
Sub-order 1. NHanprropEx.—Anthers not sinuous. Placentas 
projecting so as to meet in the centre of the fruit. Seeds 
numerous. Illustrative Genera :—Telfairia, Hook. ; Feuillea, 
Linn. 
Sub-order 2. Cucursirea.—Anthers sinuous (fig. 531, 1). Pla- 
centas projecting so as to meet in the centre of the fruit 
(fig. 721, pl). Seeds numerous. Illustrative Genera :—Bryonia, 
Linn. ; Ecballium, LZ. (. Rich. 
Sub-order 5. Sicze#.—Placentas not projecting. Seed solitary, 
pendulous. Illustrative Genera :—Sicyos, Linn.; Sechium, 
Per. 
The Cucurbitaceze have been divided by Bentham and 
Hooker as follows :— 
Series 1. PLaciosPERME®. —Ovules horizontal. Illustrative 
Genus :—Bryonia, Linn. 
Series 2. ORTHOSPERMEH.—Ovules erect or ascending. TIllustra- 
tive Genus :—Trianosperma, Torr. et Gr. 
Series 3. CREMOSPERMEH.—Ovules pendulous. Illustrative 
Genera :—Sicyos, Linn. ; Sechium, P. Br. 
Distribution and Numbers.—Natives principally of hot cli- 
mates in almost every part of the world, but especially abun- 
dant in the Kast Indies. One species only occurs in the British 
Islands, Bryonia dioica. There are about 360 species. 
Properties and Uses.—An acrid bitter purgative property is 
the chief characteristic of the plants of this order; this is 
possessed more or less by all parts of the plant, but it is es- 
pecially evident in the pulp surrounding the seeds: the seeds 
themselves are, however, usually harmless. In some plants this 
acridity is so concentrated that they become poisonous; while 
in other cases, and especially from cultivation, it is so diffused 
that their fruit becomes edible. As a general rule, the plants of 
this order should be regarded with suspicion. 
