240 



CUCURBITACE^. Cucurbita. 



inately 5-cloft to the middle with lanceolate acumiiuto lobes, whicli are oltcu ob- 

 tusely tootluul near the base, usually exceeding the petioles : llowers 3 inclirs long, 

 on stout i)edicels, lobes acutish : ealyx-tube an inch long, the teeth broailer and 

 three lines long or more: iVuit globt)se : seeds 5 lines long. — Troc. Am. Acad. xi. 

 137. 



Sail Diego t'ouiity ; I'ujoii Vuiloy (JJlcocland) ; Liiiken's Slutiou, near tliu Jacuiiiba Aloiuitains, 

 Palmer. 



4. C. Californica, Torrey iu herb. Canescent with a short white rigid pubes- 

 cence : leaves tliick, S-lubed, two inches broad, the triangular lobes acute or acumi- 

 nate, mucronate : tendrils slender, parted to the base : flowers an inch long or more, 

 on pedicels ^ to 1 inch long; calyx 4 or 5 lines long, the linear teeth 2 lines long. 

 — Watsi>n, r. c. 1 38. 



Imperfect specimens of this eviileiitly distinct species were collected by Dr. Pickerimj on the 

 Wilkes Exploring Expedition, in Sacramento Valley, and what is apparently the same was also 

 found by Emory on Cariso Creek iu the southern part of the State. 



2. MELOTHRIA, Linn. 



Flowers monoecious ; the sterile in axillary racemes ; the fertile solitary. Calyx 

 campanulate, shortly 5-toothed. Corolla 5-parted into oblong or linear-oblong seg- 

 ments. Sterile llowers with the stamens on the calyx-tube : lilaments short, free ; 

 anthers Tree, short and ovoid, rarely all 2-celled ; the cells straight and connective 

 usually produced. Pistillate flower on a long and slender pedicel, with 3 abortive 

 or rarely perfect stamens : ovary ovoid, constricted below the flower, with 3 pla- 

 centas and numerous horizontal ovules : style short, on an annular disk : stigmas 

 2-lobed. Fruit snmll, baccate, juicy. Seed ovate, flattened. — Slender herbs, with 

 simple tendrils, and small yellow or white flowers. 



About 30 species, in the warmer regions of the world. 



1. M. pendula, Linn. Stems very slender, climbing : leaves rather thin, cor- 

 date, an inch or two broad, repand-toothed, or acutely 5-angled or lobed, scabrous 

 or nearly smooth : sterile flowers few, in small racemes, '2 lines long, yellowish ; 

 calyx-teeth minute : fertile flowers on iiliforni ])edicels at length as long as the 

 leaves: ovary oblong: fruit subglobose, half an inch long, blackish when ripe: seed 

 numerous, \\ lines long. — Torr. & Gray, Fl. i. [)-ll. 



From the soutliern Atlantic Stales westward across the continent. In Southeastern Calilornia, 

 on tlio Colorado Uivcr, Iliijduw. 



3. MEGARRHIZA, Torrey. Big-Root. 

 Flowers monoecious ; tlie sterile racemose or panicled ; the fertile solitary, from 

 the same axils. Calyx-tube broadly campanulate : teeth obsolete or very small. 

 Corolla rotate, deeply 5 - 7-lobed, with oblong ]Kii)illoso segments. Sterile flowers 

 Avlth the stamens at the base : lilaments short and coniuite : anthers free oi- somewhat 

 adherent; the cells somewhat horizontal, llexuous. Pistillate flowers pedicclled : 

 abortive stamens i)resent or none : ovary oblong to globose, usually more or less 

 echinate, 2-celled or more : cells 1 - several-ovuled : ovides ascending, horizontal, uv 

 pendulous, the attachment mostly parietal : style short : stigma 2- 3-lobed or parted. 

 Fruit mostly echinate, more or less iibrous within, bcconting dry, at length bursting 

 irregularly'* Seed large, turgid, ovoid or subglobose, smooth, not margined; hiluiu 

 linear, acute : cotyledons thick, remaining under ground in germination. — Stems 



