HENDEESON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



331 



CRY 



Cryptonemata. Small, cellular threads, 

 produced by cryptostomata, which see. 



CryptonemiacecK. One of the largest natu- 

 ral orders among the rose-spored Algce, 

 belonging to the section Oongylospermece. 

 The genera and species are numerous and 

 occur in all climates. Ghondros crispus, 

 with several species of Iridcea and Oigar- 

 tina, abound in gelatine, and are useful 

 for many domestic purposes. See Algce. 



Cryptophytes. A synonym of Cryptogams. 



Gryptos. In Greek compounds this word 

 means concealed; thus, Cryptogams are 

 plants with concealed sexes. 



Cryptostomata. Little circular nuclei on the 

 surface of some Algce. 



Crystalline. Consisting of or resembling 

 crystals, as the prominences on Mesem- 

 bryanthemum crystallinum. 



Crystahvorts. A name given by Lindley to 

 the Bicciacece. 



Cuba Bast. See Bast. 



Cubicus. Cubical, die-shaped. 



Cucuttate. When the apex or sides of any- 

 thing are curved inward, so as to resem- 

 ble the point of a slipper or a hood, as in 

 the lip of Cypripedium, the spathe of an 

 Arum, etc. 



Cucullus. A hood or terminal hollow. 



Gucurbitacece, (Nhandirobece, Cucurbits, 

 the Cucumber and Gourd family.) A nat- 

 ural order of polypetalous and gamopeta- 

 lous Calycifloral Dicotyledons, character- 

 izing Lindley's Cucurbital Alliance. They 

 are succulent, climbing plants with ten- 

 drils in place of stipules, alternate pal- 

 mately- veined, rough leaves.and staminate 

 and pistillate flowers. The fruit is suc- 

 culent, a pepo, (gourd.) They are chief- 

 ly natives of hot countries, especially of 

 India and South America; a few are 

 found in the north of Europe and in 

 North Am erica, and some are also met 



CHL 



with at the Cape of Good Hope and in 

 Australia. The plants of this order gener- 

 ally possess a certain amount of acridity. 

 The pulp of the fruit of Citrullus Colocyn- 

 this is the Colocynth of the shops; this is 

 supposed to be the wild gourd of the Bi- 

 ble. Ecbalium purgans or agreste (Mo- 

 mordica elaterium) is called Squirting Cu- 

 cumber, on account of the elastic force 

 with which its seeds are scattered. Cu- 

 cumis sativus is the common Cucumber, 

 C. melo is the Muskmelon, and C. Gitrul- 

 lis is the Watermelon. Cucurbita Pepo, 

 the Gourd, is a scrambling plant, to 

 which belong the Vegetable Marrows, 

 ' which are edible, the Orange Gourds, 

 which are bitter, the Egg Gourds, Gi- 

 raumons, Crooknecks, Turk's Caps, and 

 Warted Gourds. C. maxima is the 

 Pumpkin, and C. Melopepo the Bush 

 Squash. The seeds of Hodgsonia are 

 eaten in India. Lagenariavulgaris is the 

 Bottle or Dipper Gourd. The fruit of 

 Luff a jEgyptiaca is cut up when dry, and 

 used as a flesh brush under the name of 

 Towel Gourd. Sechium edule yields an 

 edible fruit called Choco or Chaca. The 

 species of Bryonia are purgative. There 

 are three divisions of this order, viz. : 

 1. Nhandirobece, anthers not wavy, pla- 

 centas adhering in the axis of the fruit, 

 seeds numerous. 2. Cucurbitece, anthers 

 wavy, placentas and seeds as in the first. 

 3. Sicyece, seeds solitary from the tops of 

 the cell. There are about seventy known 

 genera and 340 species. Cucurbita, Cu- 

 cumis, Citrullus, Momordica, Goccinia, Tri- 

 cosanthes, Luffa, and Bryonia are exam- 

 ples of the order. 



Cucurbits. The English term for Gucurbita- 

 cece. 



Culm. The straw of Wheat, Eye, etc.; a 

 kind of hollow stem. 



