Cucurhita. CUCURBTTACEyE. 239 



for tlio hnrd-riiKJnd Ooiircl, used for vessels, l^ut tho flosliy fniits of several nro arid and jjur^ativc 

 (as in Klalcrinm and Colocynth, vahiahlo in medicine), and so arc Mio roots of all the perennial 

 sjiecies. Tho Mcgarrhiza-roots of r'alifornia in this rcsucct, as in size, are like those of l5ryony in 

 Rurope. 



* Seeds flattened : cotyledons thin, rising out of the giound and foliaceous in gennination : fruit 

 fleshy : united calyx ajid corolla tubular-campanulate. 



1. Cucurbita. Flowers all solitary, large, yellow. Filaments distinct, but the flexuous anthers 



confluent. 



2. Mislothria. Sterile flowers racemose, small, Yellowish. Filaments and antliere distinct ; the 



cells of tho latter .straight, lieriy small and juicy. 



♦ * Seeds large, turgid : cotyledons thick and fleshy, remaining under ground in germination. 



3. Megarrhiza. Flowers small, white ; the sterile racemo.se. Corolla rotate. Fruit becoming 



dry and fibrous, few-seeded. 



1. CUCURBITA, Linn. 

 Flowers monoecious, solitary. Calyx-tube cnunmuulato ; lobes 5. Corolla cam- 

 panuiato, 5-clcft to the middlo or lower ; lobes recurved. Sterile llowers with the 

 staraeus at the base: filaments free; anthers linear, conlluont, lloxuous. Fertile 

 flowers with 3 rudimentary stamens : ovary oblong, with 3 placentas and numerous 

 horizontal ovules : style short : stigmas 3, 2-lobed. Fruit fleshy, indehiscent, often 

 with a hard rind. Seed ovate or oblong, flattened. — Annual or perennial, mostly 

 prostrate and rooting at the joints ; leaves cordate, lobed ; tendrils compound ; 

 flowers large, yellow ; fruit often large. 



A genus of half a dozen or more species, from some of which have come by cultivation all the 

 many different varieties of Pumpkin and Squash. 



1. C. perennis, Gray. Root perennial, very large and fusiform: stems long, 

 trailing : leaves thick and scabrous, slightly tomentose beneath, triangular-cordate, 

 6 to 12 inches long, 4 to 8 wide, acute, the basal lobes rounded or angled, usually 

 raucronately denticulate, rarely sinuate ; petioles shorter than the leaves : tendrils 

 3-5-cleft : flowers violet-scented, 3 or 4 inches long, with obtuse mucronate lobes : 

 calyx-tube half an inch long, equalling the linear lobes : ovary pubescent : fruit 

 globose or obovoid, 2 or 3 inchos in dianioler, smootli, yellow, on u slender i)edicol 

 an inch or two long; shell lillod with bitter llbrous pulp : seed thin, obovato, 4 or 

 5 lines long, obtusely margined. — PI, Lindh. 193. Cucumis (1) perennis, ^i\\\\QB; 

 Terr. & Gray, Fl. i. 543. 



Temescal {Brewer), San Diego (Cfrvchmd, Palmer), and through Arizona and Northern Mexico 

 to Texiis. The root sometimes descends 4 to 6 feet in the ground, with a circumference nearly 

 as great. In Southern California the plant is known as Ciiili Cojote and Calnba~iVa, and the 

 pulp of the green fruit is Ti.sed with soap in washing and to remove stains from clothing. The 

 macerated root is also used a.s a remedy for piles, and the seeds are eaten by the Indians. 



2. C. digitata. Gray. Eoot perennial, fleshy: stems .'jlender, elongated, usually 

 prostrate and rooting: tendrils short and delicate, 3-5-cleft: leaves scabrous, pal- 

 mately 3 - 5-parted ; the lobes narrowly lanceolate, 2 to 4 inchos long, entire or 

 soniewhat sinuate-toothed, or the lower lobed at ba.se, about equalling the petioles : 

 flowers 2 or 3 inches long, acutely lobed, on slender pedicels 1 to 4 inches long : 

 calyx-tube ^ to 1 inch long, the narrow teeth only a line or two long : fruit subglo- 

 bose, 2 or 3 inches in diameter, yellow, long-pedicelled : seeds thin, oval. — PI. 

 Wriglit. ii. GO. 



Lower Colorado Valley to Now Mexico; authentic specimens liave not been collected within 

 the limits of the State. 



3. C. palmata, Watson. Canescent wiUi short rough pubescence, apjires-^ed on 

 the leaves : stems leafy : leaves thick, cordate in outline, 2 or 3 inches broad, pal- 



