548 SYSTEMATIC BOTANY. 



Indies. One species occurs in the British Isles, the Bryonia 

 dioica. There are about 65 genera, and more than 300 

 species. 



Properties and Uses, — An acrid bitter purgative property is 

 the chief characteristic of the plants of this order. This property 

 is possessed more or less by all parts of the plant, but it is 

 especially 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. 



Telfairia pednta The seeds of this plant yield by expression a very good 



oil, resembling that obtained from Olives, They have a flavour like almonds, 

 and are eaten in Africa. 



Feuillcea cordifulia has intensely bitter seeds, which are violently purgative 

 and emetic ; thus forming a striking exception to the generally harmless pro- 

 perties of Cucurbitaceous seeds. 



Brt/onia dioica. — The fresh root is sold by herbalists under the names of 

 White Bryony and Mandrake root. (The true Mandrake root is, however, 

 derived from 7nandrago)a officinalis. (See mandragora.) It acts violently 

 as an emetic and purgative. In large doses it is poisonous. The root is 

 also employed as an external application to bruised parts. The young shoots 

 when boiled are eaten as Asparagus. B. alba, americana, and aj'iicana, have 

 similar properties. 



Citrullus (Cucu7tiis) Colocynthis. The Bitter Cucumber or the Bitter 

 Apple — This plant is supposed to be the wild vine of the Old Testament, the 

 fruit of which is translated in our version wild gourd {'l Kings, iv. 39). The 

 fruit is a well-known drastic hydragogue cathartic. In large doses it is an 

 irritant poison. It is commonly called colocynth or coloquintidn. It owes its 

 properties to a neutral bitter principle called coloci/nthin. Two kinds of 

 colocynth are known in commerce, viz.: Turkey or Petled Colocynth, which 

 is imported from the Levant, the north of .Africa, and Spain, and Mogadore, 

 or Unpeeled Colocynth, which comes from Mogadore. Tlie former is the best, 

 and is ihe one generally employed in medicine; the latter being principally 

 used by chemists for their show-bottles. The seeds possess the purgative pro- 

 perty to a slight extent, but the pidp is by far the most active part of the fruit. 



Ecbalium officinarum or ogreste ( Mcmordica Elaterium), is commonly called 

 the Squirting Cucumber, from the fruit separating when ripe from its stalk, 

 and expelling its seeds and juice with much violence (7?g^. 93'2). The feculence 

 deposited from the juice of the fruit, when dried, constitutes the Elaterium, 

 or Extract of Elaterium of the Materia Medica. In doses of from J_ to Ith of 

 a grain, when pure, it is a powerful hydragogue cathartic. It owes its pro- 

 perties to a white crystalline, extremely bitter principle, called Elaterin, In 

 improper doses Elaterium is an irritant poison. 



Ltiffa purgans and drastica — The fmit of these plants is violently pur- 

 gative. It is commonly called American Colocynth. That of other species has 

 similar properties. The fruit oi LnJ^fafcrtida is termed the Sponge Gourd, as 

 it consists of a mass of fibres entangled together, and is used for cleaning 

 guns, &c. 



Lagrnaria vulgaris is commonly called the Bottle Gourd, from the hard 

 inte)juments of the fruit being used as a receptacle for containing fluid. 



Cucumis.—The fnut of Cucumis sativus is the Cucumber; that of C. Melo 

 is the common Melon. 



Cucurbita — The fruits of several species of this genus are employed as 

 articles of food. Thus the fruit of C. Citrullus is the Water-Melon, that of 

 C repo is the White (Jourd, that of C maxima the Red Gourd or Pumpkin, 

 and that of a variety of C. ovijera is the vegetable marrow. The fruit of some 

 other species or varieties of Cucurbita are also eaten. An oil called Eguse by 

 the inhabitants of Vj)rrnha in Africa, and which is largely used by them for 

 dietetic purposes, and also as a medicine, is supposed to be derived from one 



