Telfairia] LXILI, CUCURBITACER, 387 
LXII. CUCURBITACE @. 
The Cucurbitacesz produce a great feature of vegetation in the 
primitive forests both by the very varied forms of their foliage and 
particularly by the beauty and brilliant colours of their fruits ; 
the mountainous region abounds in very fine species, The bastard 
colocynth, Adenopus breviflorus Benth., is abundant in all the 
forests in the same region; a species of Zrochomeria, which is 
called by the negroes ‘“‘ Bumba-Riachole,” furnishes in its turnip- 
like root an efficacious remedy against the attacks of quinsy; and 
Cucumis chrysocomus Schum. ornaments the sea-shore with its 
handsome golden fruit. Cucumbers, melons, water-melons, bottle- 
gourds, and common gourds, and their varieties are cultivated in 
all the regions of Angola, although at times with but little satis- 
factory results. Lagenaria vulgaris Ser., the Colombro of the 
Portuguese, the fruit of which is called ‘‘ Binda” by the natives, 
grows wild in many damp situations in the coast and moun- 
tainous regions. Sechiwm edule Sw., the “‘chocho” of the West 
Indies, was recommended by Welwitsch as well worth introducing 
into Angola and cultivating for the sake of its well-flavoured 
fruit ; it is subspontaneous in the African island of St. Thomas, 
where it is called “ Pimpinella ” (Welwitsch, Apont. p. 556, n. 129). 
1, TELFAIRIA Hook.; Benth. & Hook. f. Gen. PI. i. p. 821. 
1. T. pedata Hook. in Bot. Mag. tt. 2751, 2752 (1 July 1827); 
Hook. f. in Oliv. Fl. Trop. Afr. ii. p. 523; Cogniaux in DC. 
Monogr. Phan. iii. p. 350 (1881). 
Joliffea africana Bojer ex Hook., U.c., Boj. ex. Raff. Delile in 
Mém. Soc. Hist. Nat. Paris iii. p. 318, t. 6 (July 1827) (Jolifia). 
MozamBiqueE Coast.—A shrubby climber ; fruit immense, 2 to 3 ft. 
long, 6 to 8 in. thick, containing very tasty large seeds, which the 
Portuguese colonists call “castanhas de Inhambane.” The negroes of 
Mozambique call the plant “cuémé” or “kouémé,” and Welwitsch 
pale gaa its introduction into Angola. Dee. 1861. Coun. 
‘ARP. 600. 
2. T. occidentalis Hook. f., c., p. 524; Cogn., le, p. 351. 
Sierra LEonE.—A herb, climbing far and widely ; leaves trifolio- 
late ; corolla from whitish to sordid-purplish. Along fences composed 
of some shrubby leafless Euphorbia, near Freetown, not uncommon; fl. 
at the time of the great rains, Sept. 1853. No. 823. 
2. TROCHOMERIA Hook. f. in Benth. & Hook. f. Gen. Pl. i. 
p. 822. Heterosicyos Welw. ex. Hook. f., dc. 
1. T. vitifolia Hook. f. in Oliv. Fl. Trop. Afr. ii. p. 525 3. 
Cogn., .c., p. 896; Ficalho, Pl. Uteis, p. 186 (1884). 
Goxtunco ALto,—In the drier exposed bushy rocky situations at the 
base of the mountains of Serra de Alto Queta, sparingly and sporadic : 
male fi. March 1856 ; fr. Oct. No. 793. A herb, grass-green through- 
out inclusive even of the flowers ; producing every year from the very 
large underground or balf underground tuber slender subvoluble 
tendrilled sparingly leafy runners, 4 to 7 ft.long ; flowers mostly male ; 
