re 
- Calyx tubular-campanulate, 5-toothed sen tecth subulate, scarcely a3 
distinct and but slightly adnate t 
138 WEEDS AND USEFUL PLANTS. 
Orper XXX. CUCURBITA’CE. (Govurp Famtzy.) 
erbaceous mostly succulent vines tendrils, alternate palmately veined or lobed 
leaves and moncecious a emees tay Pag monopetalous ) flowers. Calyx “sh ia ae pita 2 
sepals, united into a tube, and mi the meee flowers adherent to the o 
many as the sepals, more or Jess united, and cohering with the calyx. Suns t 8- aid 
into the of the c pir tes or wire: aetiaek or variously united by their filaments 
and long, mostly tortuous, a 1-38-celled,—the Pores fleshy 
filling the cells ; stigmas thick, dilated 0 - fringed. Fruit po) fare: fleshy, with a 
firm (sometimes a ligneous _ occasionally afmembranous) ah Seeds flat, destitute of 
aceou 
This er—so well known Yk its cul: apres | ee ee some which are pos- 
sessed of a medicinal Brepecie (euch as Colocynth, of the shops—Cucumis Colocyn- 
this, L.) ; but few, if ws of Agricu ral Interest, beyond those here mentioned. 
* Petals pte art at the base only. ~ 
1. LAGENA’RIA, Ser. Govurp. 
{Greek, Lagenos, a flagon or bottle ; from the shape of the fruit.] 
Calyx campanulate or subturbinate, 5-toothed,—the segments subulate- 
lanceolate, shorter than the tube. and 
free. Stigm ic lobed, gra 
fleshy and P pcbavant finally with a smooth igneous rind 
pressed, ARE somewhat 2-lobed at apex, the margin tumid. 
1. L. vunea’ais, Ser. Softly pubescent ; stem climbing ; leaves round- 
ish-cordate, a cunianies denticulate, with ‘two glands at base ; fruit cla- 
vate-ventricose. 
Common Lacenarta. Calabash. Bottle Gourd. 
Fr. Calebasse. Germ. Der Kuerbiss. Span. Calabaza, 
Whole plant somewhat viscid, and emitting a fetid musky odor. Stem 10-15 or 20 feet 
long, ennai braughing climbing by tendrils abn are 2—4- cso Leaves 4-6 or 8 in- 
ches lon, = a long ‘gered Jary, on long ncles ; corolla 
with gree ~18 int sagt and rs 6 or § parts in diameter, 
eocgeally | DL ventrianes, finaily nics Tollow Be r party cng with the loose dry s 
2 on eg rind yellowish or pale d hard. Seeds in a dry mem- 
ranous @ US, 
e Gardens = og : cultivated. Native of the tropical regions. Fl. July-August. Fr. 
Obs. The thin firm woody shell of the fruit affords a very convenient 
kitchen utensil,—and the plant is sometimes cultivated for the sake of. 
that frnit, by cottagers and farmers who cannot afford, or do not choose 
to purch ( tensi 
is cultivated occasio onally, for the ye a np ae fruit 
of extraordinary length, called « oe —which seems to 
belong to this species, and perhaps may be ie sa var.  ditbate of Sermge.. 
2. CU’CUMIS, L, oo AND MELON. 
[Said to be derived from the Celtic , 2 hollow vessel.] 
long as the tube. Petals 5, nearly 
