236 KEY AND FLORA 



H. VALERIANELLA Hill 



Annual herbs ; stem forking regularly. Leaves opposite, entire 

 or dentate. Flowers in crowded, terminal, bracted cymes. Calyx 

 limb toothed or wanting. Corolla white or purplish, funnelform, 

 5-lobed. Stamens 3. Style 3-lobed. Fruit 3-celled, 1-seeded.* 



1. V. Locusta Betcke. LAMB LETTUCE. Stem erect, smooth, or 

 downy at the nodes, many times forked, 9-12 in. high. Basal leaves 

 tufted, spatulate* to obovate, entire; the upper lanceolate, dentate, 

 sessile. Cymes short-peduncled, bracts linear. Flowers pale blue. 

 Fruit 'compressed, oblique. On rich soil in waste places. Some- 

 times cultivated for salad. Introduced from Europe.* 



2. V. radiata Dufr. CORN SALAD. Stem erect, smooth above, 

 downy below, 2-4 times forked, 8-12 in. high. Lower leaves spatu- 

 late, entire ; the upper lanceolate, clasping at the base, dentate. 

 Cymes compact; bracts lanceolate. Flowers white. Fruit ovoid, 

 downy, furrowed. On damp soil.* 



98. CUCURBITACE^J. GOURD FAMILY 



Somewhat succulent, tendril-bearing, prostrate or climbing, 

 herbaceous plants. Leaves alternate, with stipules. Flowers 

 epigynous, dioecious or monoecious, often sympetalous. Calyx 

 limb (if present) 5-lobed. Corolla usually 5-lobed and with its 

 tube more or less united with the calyx tube. Stamens perigy- 

 nous or borne upon the corolla ; the anthers usually joined in 

 long, serpentine ridges. Ovary 3-celled ; stigmas 2 or 3. Fruit 

 generally a pepo (like the melon, squash, and pumpkin), but 

 sometimes dry. Seeds commonly large and flat. A large family, 

 mostly of tropical plants, many with eatable fruit, but some 



species poisonous. 



I. CUCURBITA L. 



Annual or perennial herbs ; stem trailing or climbing, 2-20 

 ft. long. Leaves angular-lobed ; tendrils branching. Flowers 

 monoecious, solitary or in small clusters. Calyx 5-toothed, the 

 limb deciduous. Corolla bell-shaped, 5-lobed. Staminate flowers 

 with 3 stamens and no pistil ; pistillate flowers with 1 pistil and 

 3 imperfect stamens. Style short ; stigmas 3-5, each 2-lobed. 

 Fruit 1-celled, with numerous seeds on the 3 parietal placentae.* 



