M O M 



MOM 



body and a fariniferous line once reflex: female 

 flowers on the same plant : the calyx is a peri- 

 anthium as in the male, superior, deciduous: 

 the corolla as in the male : the stamina have 

 three filaments, very short, without anthers : the 

 pistillum is an inferior germ, large : style 

 single, round, trifid, columnar : stigmas three, 

 gibbous, oblong, pointing outwards : the peri- 

 carpium is a dry, oblong pome, opening elasti- 

 cally, three-celled : cells' membranaceous, soft, 

 distant : the seeds several, and compressed. 



The species cultivated are: 1. M. balsamina, 

 Common Momordica, or Male Balsam Apple ; 

 2. M. charantia, Hairy Momordica; 3. M. 

 Luffa, Egyptian Momordica ; 4. M. elaterium, 

 Elastic Momordica. 



The first has a trailing stem, like those of the 

 Cucumberand Melon, extendingthree or four feet 

 in length, and sending out many side branches 

 which have tendrils : the leaves are shaped like 

 those of the Vine, smooth, deeply cut into se- 

 veral segments, and spreading open hke the hand. 

 According to Martyn, the fruit is fleshy, ovate, 

 drawn to a point at each end, obscurely angular, 

 remotely tubercled in longitudinal rows, smooth 

 jn the other parts, red when ripe, one-celled, 

 inflated, bursting irregularly, and dispersing the 

 seeds, winch are ovate and pale brown, with 

 a spring. It is a natiye of India, flowering in 

 June and July. 



The second species has a round, slender, 

 branched stem, climbing by lateral tendrils : the 

 •leaves are sinuate-palmate, wrinkled, smooth, 

 toothed, spread out into a ring, having the nerves 

 pubescent ; they are alternate and petioled : the 

 powers are sometimes hermaphrodite, on long, 

 axillary, one-flowered peduncles, of a yellow or 

 orange colour : the fruit oblong, bluntly angular, 

 tubercled, drawn to a point at each end, white, 

 yellow, or green on the outside; within very red 

 and fleshy, one-celled ; it bursts clastically : the 

 seeds ovale, flat, bitten at the edge. It is a na- 

 tive of the East Indies, flowering in June and 

 July. It varies, according to some, with short 

 pointed fruit. 



The third has an angular, very much branched 

 stem, climbing by bifid spiral tendrils : the 

 leaves having live or seven sharp angles, the 

 middle one double the length of the others, un- 

 equally serrate, veined, wrinkled, on long alter- 

 nate petioles : the male flowers are several to- 

 gether, terminating: the females lateral, and so- 

 litary : (he pome a foot long, two inches thick, 

 round h, usually drawn to;i point at each end, 

 hairy, three-celled, with a white, flaccid, escu- 

 lent pulp, of an insipid flavour : the seeds are 

 oblong, compressed, and smooth. It is a native 

 of the .East Indies, flowering in July and August. 



The fourth species has a large fleshy perennial 

 root, somewhat like that of Bryony : the stems 

 thick, rough, trailing, dividing into many 

 branches, and extending every way two or three 

 feet : the leaves are thick, rough, almost heart- 

 shaped, gray, on long foot-stalks : the flowers 

 axillary, much less than those of the common 

 Cucumber, of a pale yellow colour, with a green- 

 ish bottom : the male flowers stand on short 

 thick peduncles; but the female flowers sit on 

 the top of the young fruit, which grows to an 

 inch and half in length, swelling like a Cu- 

 cumber, of a gray colour like the leaves, and 

 covered with short prickles : the fruit does not 

 change its colour, but when ripe quits the pedun- 

 cle, and casts out the seeds and juice with great 

 violence. It is a native of the South of Europe. 

 When the fruit is designed for medicinal use, 

 it should be gathered before it is ripe, otherwise 

 the greatest part of the juice, which is the only 

 valuable part, is lost, as the expressed juice is 

 not to be compared with that which runs out of 

 itself; and the elaterium made from the clear 

 juice is whiter, and keeps much longer than that 

 which is extracted by means of pressure. All 

 the parts of the plant are bitter, and strongly 

 purgative. 



Culture. — All these plants mav be increased 

 by sowing the seeds in the first three sorts upon 

 a moderate hot-bed in the early spring months, 

 as about March ; and when the plants have had 

 a little growth, let them be pricked out into 

 another hot-bed, fresh air being given in fine 

 weather, and water occasionally ; or they may 

 be let remain in the first hot-bed till they have 

 acquired sufficient growth, and have four or five 

 leaves, when they should be removed into the 

 hot-bed where they are to remain, one or two 

 plants being put into each light, due shade and 

 water being given till fresh rooted. They after- 

 wards demand the same management as the Cu- 

 cumber kind, the branches being suffered to ex- 

 tend themselves in the same manner. When 

 thus -nanaged and properly treated in respect to 

 air and water, they produce fruit and ripe seeds 

 in the latter end of summer, when it must 

 he immediately gathered to prevent its being 

 dispersed. 



The plants may likewise be set in pots, and 

 placed in the hot-house, their vines or stems 

 being supported by sticks, in which mode they 

 have a much better appearance and effect. 



The fourth sor; mav besown orsuffered toscat- 

 ter, where the plants are to remain, or on beds 

 of fine mould in the autumn ; the plants being 

 afterwards thinned out or removed into rows in 

 an open situation, three or four feet apart, 

 and as many distant in them, requiring only the 



