PLANTS CULTIVATED FOR THEIR FRUITS. 269 



From several works, even recent ones, 1 it might be 

 supposed that it had never been found in a wild state, 

 but if we notice the different names under which it 

 has been described we shall find that this is not the 

 case. Thus Gucurbita hispida, Thunberg, and Lagenaria 

 dasystemon, Miquel, from authentic specimens seen 

 by Cogniaux, 2 are synonyms of the species, and these 

 plants are wild in Japan. 3 Cucurbita littoralis, Hass- 

 karl, 4 found among shrubs on the sea-shore in Java, 

 and Gymnopetalum septemlobum, Miquel, also in Java, 

 are the Benincasa according to Cogniaux. As are 

 also Cucurbita vacua, Mueller, 6 and Cucurbita pruriens, 

 Forster, of which he has seen authentic specimens found 

 at Rockingham, in Australia, and in the Society Islands. 

 Nadeaud 6 does not mention the latter. Temporary 

 naturalization may be suspected in the Pacific Isles and 

 in Queensland, but the localities of Java and Japan seem 

 quite certain. I am the more inclined to believe in the 

 latter, that the cultivation of the Benincasa in China dates 

 from the remotest antiquity. 7 



Towel Gourd Momordica cylindrica, Linnaeus ; Luffa 

 cylindrica, Rcemer. 



Naudin 8 says, " Luffa cylindrica, which in some of 

 our colonies has retained the Indian name petole, is 

 probably a native of Southern Asia, and perhaps also 

 of Africa, Australia, and Polynesia. It is cultivated by 

 the peoples of most hot countries, and it appears to be 

 naturalized in many places where it doubtless did not 

 exist originally." Cogniaux 9 is more positive, "An 

 indigenous species," he says, " in all the tropical regions 



1 Clarke, in Fl. of Brit. Ind., ii. p. 616. 



2 Cogniaux, in de Candolle, Monogr. Phan^r., iii. p. 513. 



8 Thunberg, FL Jap., p. 322 ; Franchet and Savatier, Enum. PL Jap., 

 i. p. 173. 



4 Hasskarl, Catal. Horti, Bogor. Alter., p. 190 ; Miquel, Flora Indo- 

 Batav. 



5 Mueller, Fragm., vi. p. 186 ; Forster, Prodr. (no description) ; 

 Seemann, Jour. ofBot., ii. p. 50. 



6 Nadeaud, Plan. Usu. des Taitiens, Enum. des PL Indig. d Taiti. 



7 Bretschneider, letter of Aug. 26, 1881. 



8 Naudin, Ann. fife. Nat., 4th series, vol. xii. p. 121. 

 8 Cogniaux, Monogr. Phandr., iii. p. 458. 



