11 36 CUCUKBITACEAE 



Leaf-blades with broad ovate or cuneate lobes : berries 2.5-5 cm. in diameter. 



Hypanthium of the staminate flowers cylindric. 1. I. Lindheimeri. 

 Hypanthium of the staminate flowers campanulate. 



Lobes of the leaf-blades rather evenly dentate, the lateral ones not divided. 2. I. tripartite,. 



Lobes of the leaf-blades again lobed, the lateral ones mostly divided. 3. L tenella. 



Leaf-blades with linear or nearly linear lobes : berries 1-1.5 cm. in diameter. 4. I. tenuisecta. 



1. Ibervillea Lindheimeri (A. Gray) Greene. Stems slender, climbing or trailing, 

 2-4 m. long, sparingly branched : leaf-blades thinnish, more or less warty -papillose, 3-5- 

 lobed, the lobes coarsely toothed or again lobed ; petioles J or ^ as long as the blades : hy- 

 panthium of the staminate flowers cylindric, often slightly puberulent, 6-8 mm. long, 

 gradually narrowed to the base : sepals triangular, 2-3 mm. long, acute : corolla yellow, 

 villous within, striped with green without : berry globose, 2.5-5 cm. in diameter, apiculate, 

 becoming red : seeds with swollen faces. 



In valleys, Texas to southern California. Spring to fall. 



2. Ibervillea tripartita (Naud.) Greene. Similar to I. Lindheimeri in habit. Leaf- 

 blades more triangular in outline, 3-lobed or 3-parted, the lobes merely dentate : hypan- 

 thium of the staminate flowers campanulate : berries commonly 3-4 cm. in diameter. 



In thickets and along fences, Louisiana and Texas to Central America. Spring and summer. 



3. Ibervillea tenella (Naud.) Small. Stems slender, climbing or creeping, 1-2 m. 

 long, obtusely angled : leaf -blades thickish or fleshy, usually 3-4 cm. in diameter, 3-parted, 

 often warty, the terminal lobe coarsely toothed or again lobed, usually acute, more or less 

 cuneate, the lateral lobes usually again 2-lobed, the lobes toothed ; petioles about 1 cm. 

 long : hypanthium glabrous, campanulate, 3-4 mm. long : sepals ovate, 1-1.5 mm. long, 

 acute : corolla yellow, broadly ovate, acutish, striped with green without, glandular-pilose 

 within : berries globose, 2.5-4 cm. long : seeds oval, 6-8 mm. long, with 2 horns at the base, 

 the faces swollen. [Sicydium tenellum Naud. ] 



In valleys, Texas. Spring and summer. 



4. Ibervillea tenuisecta (A. Gray) Small. Stems very slender, prostrate or climb- 

 ing, several meters long, often diffusely branched : leaf-blades thickish, 1-4 cm. in diame- 

 ter, 3-5-parted, the lobes deeply cleft or pinnatifid, the ultimate divisions linear or nearly 

 so, acute or rarely obtuse ; petioles 0.5-1 cm. long : hypanthium glabrous, campanulate, 

 3-4 mm. long : sepals triangular or ovate-triangular : corolla yellow : berries globose, 1- 

 1.5 cm. in diameter, becoming scarlet : seeds obovoid, 5-6 mm. long, thick-margined, with 

 two blunt horns at the base, the faces much swollen and transversely wrinkled. [Sicydium 

 Lindheimeri var. tenuisectum A. Gray.] 



In valleys, Texas and New Mexico to Mexico. Spring to fall. 



3. MOMORDICA L. 



Annual or perennial herbs, with climbing stems and simple tendrils. Leaf -blades en- 

 tire, lobed or pedately compound. Flowers monoecious or dioecious, the staminate soli- 

 tary or panicled : hypanthium short-campanulate : sepals 5 : corolla rotate, 5-lobed, 

 white or yellow : stamens 3, or very rarely 2 ; filaments short, distinct ; anthers at first 

 slightly cohering, finally distinct. Pistillate flowers solitary : calyx and corolla like those 

 of the staminate flowers : staminodia wanting or gland-like. Ovary 1-celled, with 3 pla- 

 centae : style slender : stigmas 3. Ovules numerous, horizontal. Berry elongated, rarely 

 3-valved. Seeds usually numerous, flat or swollen, smooth or sculptured. BALSAM APPLE. 



Leaf-blades with acute or obtuse teeth : scale at the middle or base of the staminate peduncle. 



1. M. Charcmtia. 

 Leaf-blades'with acuminate teeth : scale toothed at the apex of the staminate peduncle. 2. M. Balsamina. 



1. Momordica Charantia L. Sterns often high-climbing, at least 1-2 m. long, or 

 longer, much branched, angled : leaf-blades thinnish, 4-12 cm. in diameter, cordate, 5-7- 

 lobed, the lobes obovate or oblanceolate, coarsely toothed or slightly again lobed, the teeth 

 or lobes acute or obtuse, the sinuses usually rounded ; petioles 3-5 cm. long, villous or 

 glabrate, angled : peduncles bearing entire ovate-cordate scales at the base or middle : hy- 

 panthium usually puberulent, campanulate : sepals oval or oval-ovate, 3-4.5 mm. long, 

 acute, ciliate : petals obovate, yellow, 1-2 cm, long, striped: berries fusiform, 4-1 2 cm. 

 long, pointed at both ends, golden-yellow, tuberculate, narrowly winged : seeds oblong, 

 12-16 mm. long, slightly flattened. 



In sand, peninsular Florida, perhaps introduced. Common in tropical countries. 



2. Momordica Balsamina L. Stems slender, climbing, 0.5-2 m. long, much 

 branched, grooved : leaf-blades thinnish, 3-8 cm. broad, cordate, 3-5-lobed, the lobes 

 coarsely toothed, their teeth acuminate, the sinuses usually rounded ; petioles 2-7 cm. 



