ioooI BARBER— FRUITS AND SEEDS OF CUCURBITACEAE 269 



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monoecious, epigynous; calyx and corolla actinomorphic, adnate at 

 the base. The stamens are five in number, four of which frequently 

 cohere in pairs, or more rarely they all unite to form a column. The 

 ovary is one- to five-, usually three-celled. 



Fruit.— In the Cucurbitaceae are found the largest fruits of the 

 whole plant kingdom. From the enormous berry of Cucurbita, reach- 

 ing a maximum of several kilos in weight, there are all gradations 

 down to the small burr of Sicyos angulatus, only slightly larger than 

 the single inclosed seed. 



The fruits are nearly always fleshy berries; they may, however, 

 become membranaceous and dry, preserving at the same time their 

 original shape. There is no characteristic form for the family, the 

 shape differing as much as the size. All possible variations of spheri- 

 cal, elliptical, greatly elongated, and curious unsymmetrical forms are 

 represented. They are smooth, warty, or covered with spines, or 

 various other kinds of emergences. In addition to these outgrowths, 

 the young fruits of all the common species bear one or more forms of 

 hairs which, in most cases, persist at maturity. The color varies from 

 white, green, and yellow to red, with spots and stripes on some of the 

 varieties. 



AH the fruits described in this paper are indehiscent with the 

 exception of Echinocystis, which bursts irregularly at the top. 



The pericarp, or' rather the pericarp and adherent receptacle, 

 varies in thickness (thin or thick rind, or solid fruit-flesh), color 

 1 white, green, yellow, or red), and texture (watery or dry, sclerenchy- 

 matized or soft). The central placentae extend to the outer wall 

 and divide, turning back so as to give a parietal appearance. 



SEED.-The seeds, borne either singlv or in great numbers, are 

 anatropous, large, ovate, and flattened, with or without a border 



(formed 



They 



from 



re ctangul 



MICROSCOPIC 



dist 



PERicARP.-The pericarp may be divided into six, more or less 



wet tissues as follows : 



1. Epkarp.-The cells are for the most part polygonal, forming 



