620 



Plants of the Punjab. 



Climbing Plants with Alternate Exstipulate Lobed Leaves. 



Petals united. 



Bryonia or annual, rough or smooth, stems angular, slender, 



Bryonopsis laciniosa, tendrils 2-fid ; leaves 4-6 in., deepty 5-lobed, lobes '2-3 



Gargu-naru. 



CuCURBITACEiE. 



F. B. I. ii. 622. 

 The Plains to 

 2,000 ft. 



in., Oilen ruugii and dotted above, sinus often broad or 

 narrow, stalk as long as the blade, often rough with firm 

 excrescences at the apex ; flowers small, yellowish, male 

 and female flowers on very short stalks clustered together 

 in the same axils, male flowers, calyx tube widely bell- 

 shaped, 5-toothed, teeth smooth, awl-shaped, coroUa 

 deeply 5-lc bed, stamens 3, inserted low down in he calyx 

 tube, anthers free, female flowers, calyx and corolla as 

 in the male, style slender, 3-fid at the top ; fruit f in. 

 diam., sessile, often 2 or 3 together, green with white lon- 

 gitudinal stripes, seeds I in., ovoid, margin corrugated, 

 often with excrescences on the faces. The vouns shoots 

 are sometimes cooked as a vegetable, the plant when in 

 fruit is used medicmally, as an aperient and tonic. 



Mukia scabrella, or 



Melothria 



maderaspatana, 



Gwala-kakri. 

 Cucurbitace^. 

 F. B. I. ii. 623. 



The Plains to 

 6,000 ft. 

 Mashobra (Collett). 



annual, stem slender, angular, rough, tendrils un- 

 branched ; Leaves 1-3 in., ovate-heart-shaped, 3-7-angled, 

 not deeph^ lobed, toothed, long-pointed, very rough ; 

 flowers ^ m. diam., yellow, almost sessile, sohtary, or in 

 small clusters, male and female flowers on the same plant, 

 male flowers, calyx bell-shaped, 5-toothed, teeth awl- 

 shaped, corolla deeply 5-lobed, stamens 3, inserted low in 

 the calyx tube, anthers free, female flowers, calyx and 

 corolla as in the male, style club shaped, stigma 3-lobed ; 

 berry | in. diam., bright red, round, seeds few, rough, 

 strongly margined. The seeds have a sudorific action, and 

 the root is used in flatulence. 



Zehneria or 

 Melothria umbellata, 



Bankakra. 



CUCURBITACE-S;. 



F. B. I. ii. 625. 

 The Plains to 

 7,000 ft. 



Simla, Mashobra 

 (Collett). 



perennial, root tuberous, smooth or velvety, tendrils 

 branched, sometimes flower-bearing ; leaves very variable, 

 6 by 4 in., broadly ovate or triangular with forked base, 

 or 3-5-lobed, lobes unequal, narrow, diverging ; flowers 

 I in. diam., yellow, male and female generally on different 

 plants, sometimes on the same, male flowers in umbels, 

 csiljx smooth or velvety, bell-shaped, o-toothed, teeth 

 short, corolla deeply 5-lobed, hairj'' within, stamens 3, 

 rather long, inserted low'in the calyx tube, anthers free, 

 female flowers calyx and corolla as in the male, style 3- 

 lobed at the top; berry |-1| in. long, bright red, ovoid, 

 smooth or velvety, seeds 6-12, oblong, smooth. The 

 fruit is edible, the root when cooked i? eaten, the seeds 

 and leaves are used as medicine. 



