EXOGEN^l CALYCIFLOR.E. 129 



USES. Unknown. 



TYPICAL GENERA. Myriophylluin, Loudonia. 



67. Loasacea. Herbaceous plants, hispid, with pungent 

 hairs. Leaves without stipules. Flowers generally showy, 

 white or yellow. Calyx 5-parted. Petals 5 or 10, hooded, with 

 an inflexed aestivation ; the interior often much smaller. Sta- 

 mens indefinite. Ovary with several parietal placentae, or with 

 a free central lobed one. Fruit capsular or succulent. Seeds 

 numerous, without aril ; embryo in axis of fleshy albumen. 



USES. Unknown. Usually handsome plants. 



TYPICAL GENERA. Loasa, Bartonia. 



68. Cucurbitacea. Annual or perennial herbs. Stem 

 climbing by tendrils. Leaves palmated, or with palmate ribs, 

 covered with asperities. Flowers white, yellow, or brownish 

 red, unisexual. Calyx 5-toothed. Corolla o-parted, scarcely 

 distinguishable from the calyx, with strongly reticulated veins. 

 Stamens 5, either distinct, or cohering in three parcels ; an- 

 thers sinuous. Ovary with 3 parietal placentas ; stigmas very 

 thick, velvety or fringed. Fruit more or less succulent. 

 Seeds flat, in an aril ; embryo flat, with no albumen. 



USES. The Gourd, Melon, Cucumber, Pumpkin, Vegetable 

 Marrow, and Squash, are the fruits of various species, in all 

 which an acrid purgative - principle is diffused ; which, when 

 concentrated, as in the Bottle Gourd, the Colocynth, and the 

 Bryony, becomes dangerous, unless administered with skill, 

 when it is a useful medicine. Elaterine, or Elatine, an ex- 

 tremely poisonous principle, is found in the Spirting Cucumber, 

 Momordica Elaterium. The seeds are nutty and harmless. 



TYPICAL GENERA. Cucumis, Bryonia, Momordica. 



69. Passifloracea. Usually climbing by means of ten- 

 drils. Leaves alternate, with leafy stipules. Flowers often 

 enclosed in an involucre. Sepals 5, their tube lined with fila- 

 mentous processes. Petals 5. Stamens monadelphous. Ovary 

 stalked, 1-celled ; styles 3 ; stigmas simple, clavate. Fruit 

 with 3 polyspermous placentae. Seeds with a brittle sculp- 

 tured testa. Embryo in fleshy albumen. 



USES. The fruit of Passiflora quadrangularis, the Grana- 

 dilla, of P. edulis, and several others, contains a pleasant sub- 



