106 MANN, 



variously united by their filaments, and long, sinuous or contorted an- 

 thers. Ovary 1-5-celled; the thick and fleshy placentae often filling 

 the cells, or diverging before or after reaching the axis, and carried 

 back so as to reach the vpalls of the pericarp, sometimes manifestly 

 parietal; the dissepiments often disappearing during its grovv^th, some- 

 times only one-ovuled from the top ; stigmas thick, dilated or fringed- 

 Fruit (pepo) usually fleshy, v^^ith a hard rind, sometimes membranous. 

 Seeds mostly flat, with no albumen. Embryo straight; cotyledons 

 foliaceous. 



The species Cucw-Mta pepo, the Pumpkin, Winter-squash, <frc.; C. maxima, the 

 squash; CitruUus vulgaris, the "Watermelon; Cucumis melo, the Musk-melon; and C. 

 iativus, the Cucumber, are much cultivated for their edible fruits. 



1. LAGENARIA Ser. [Ipu.] 



Elowers solitary. Male flowers long peduncled. Calyx-tube cam- 

 panulate or funnel-shaped, with 5 lanceolate or subulate, spreading 

 lobes. Petals 5, free, spreading, obcordate or obovate, retuse, mucro- 

 nate. Stamens inserted on the calyx-tube, the filaments free ; anthers 

 slightly cohering, the cells tortuous. Ovary wanting. Female flowers 

 short peduncled. Calyx and corolla as in the male. Stamens, none. 

 Ovary oblong, ovoid, or cylindrical, with 3 placentae ; style short, 

 thick, with 3 two-lobed stigmas ; ovules indeflnite, horizontal. Fruit 

 of various shapes, woody, indehiscent, with a soggy meat. Seeds 

 compressed, margined. — Climbing or trailing pubescent herbs, with 

 ovate- or reniform-cordate, or nearly orbicular, large, dentate leaves, 

 the petioles with two glands near the apex. Tendrils bifid. Flowers 

 large, white. 



Species 1, native of tropical Asia and Africa, cultivated throughout the tropics. 



1. Lagen ARIA VULGARIS Ser. (Unum. JSfo. 140.) 



• 2. CUCURBITA Linn. [Ipu.] 



Flowers solitary. Male flowers : Calyx-tube campanulate, 5-lobed. 

 Corolla campanulate, 5-cleft. Stamens 3, inserted on the base of the 

 calyx; fllameuts free; anthers linear, compacted in a head, the elon- 

 gated cells flexuose. . Ovary wanting. Female flowers : Calyx and 

 corolla as in the male. Kudiments of stamens 3. Ovary oblong, with 

 3 placentae ; style short, with 3 two-lobed or two cleft stigmas ; ovules 

 numerous, horizontal. Fruit fleshy, usually with a rind, indehiscent. 

 Seeds ovate or oblong, flat. — Herbs with annual or perennial roots, 

 cordate and lobed large leaves, 2-many-cleft tendrils, and large yel- 

 low flowers. The fruit often gigantic. 



A small genus, native of tropical regions. 



1. C. MAXIMA Duch. (Eniim. No. 141.) Stems long, spi-eading, or 



