Oucumis.] lxiv. cucurbitaceje (hooker). 545 



6. C. Prophetarnm, Linn. ; Nand. I.e. 14. Annual. White, or ashy 

 and scabrid with stiff hairs. Stem much branched from the base, 

 geniculate at the nodes, angular, and petioles and peduncles clothed 

 with short, white, stout, little bristles. Leaves small, J— 1 Jin. broad, 

 scabrid on both surfaces, subtriangular reniform or palmately 3—5- 

 lobed, coriaceous ; lobes short or long, quite entire or toothed, obtuse 

 or acute ; base truncate or more or less deeply cordate ; petioles short 

 or long, tendrils short. Male fl. : Calyx and corolla hispid. Connec- 

 tive produced into a linear, flat, simple or 2-fid appendage, glandular 

 at the tip. Female fl. : Peduncles stout, short, coverea with short, 

 stout, rigid, pungent prickles. Staminodes linear. Stigmas short, 2- 

 lobed. Fruit broadly ovoid, 1-1 \ in. long, green with pale vertical 

 bands, covered with scattered, soft, slender spines. Seeds small, \ in. 

 long, elliptic-oblong, compressed, smooth, brownish, without thickened 

 margin or depressed disk. — C, araMcus, Delile in Hort. Monsp. (ex. 

 Naud.) C. ammmsy Stocks. 



Nile Land. Abyssinia, Both ! Egypt, between Cosseir and Kas-Benass, Schwein- 

 furth! 



Lower Guinea. Benguela and Mossamedes, on sandy sea-shores, Dr. Welwitsch ! 

 A very slender and small-leaved variety. 



Fruit bitter, according to Naudin. The South African representative of this is the 

 C rnyriocarpus, Naud., which differs chiefly in habit and the slender pedicels and de- 

 ciduous fruit Except in its hispidity and ashy hairs, C. Prophetarum approaches very 

 closely to the supposed American O. Anguria, L. All have small male flowers, with 

 produced connectives, staminodes in the female flower, and small oblong berries striped 

 green and orange and loosely set with weak spines. I should not be surprised if C. 

 Figarei, pmtutatus, and Prophetarum proved to belong to one species, of which C. An- 

 guria is a cultivated state imported by the negroes into the West Indies (see Bot. Mag. 

 t. 5817). 



7. C. subsericeus, Hook. f. Annual, green. Stem very slender, 

 weak, sparingly branched, slightly scabrid here and there. Leaves 

 small, 1-1J in. broad, broadly ovate-cordate or subreniform, palmately 

 3— 5-lobed ; lobes short, broad, triangular, obtuse or acute, obscurely 

 toothed, covered on both sides with rather silky appressed hairs ; 

 petioles 1-1 J in. Tendrils very slender. Male fl. : Small. Calyx hispid. 

 Anther-cells ciliate ; connective shortly produced. Female fl. : Pe- 

 duncles hispid. Ovary ovoid, covered with hispid hairs. Stamens 3 ; 

 anthers fully formed, but thin and without pollen. Fruit immature, 

 ovoid, 1 in. long, on a stout peduncle, covered with both slender 

 tuberous-based bristles and stout, green, conical spines. Seeds rather 

 narrow, white, with a stout thickened border and depressed disk. 



Lower Guinea. Angola, Pungo Andongo, thickets in a 6andy soil, Dr. Welwitsch ! 

 A very distinct-looking plant. 



8. C. membranifolius, Hook. f. Annual ? ; flaccid, bright green. 

 Stem slender, scabrid, sulcate, sparingly branched. Leaves very mem- 

 branous, 2-2 j in. in diameter, broadly ovate-cordate, palmately 5-lobed 

 or angled j angles or lobes broad, triangular, acuminate, slightly 

 irregularly toothed, slightly scabrid on both surfaces, basal sinus 

 shallow j petioles longer than the blade. Male fl. : Not seen. Female 



