126 BOTANY. 



CUCURBITACE^. 



Elaterium* Wrightii, Gray (PI. Wright. 2, p. 61).— Stem slender, 

 pubescent; leaves reniform or cordate, obscurely 5-lobed or angled; sinus 

 deep; apex sometimes distinctly triangular-acuminate, slightly scabrous on 

 the under surface and nearly smooth above; margin ciliate, and sometimes 

 slightly and remotely denticulate ; male flowers rather few, in a slender 

 raceme, on capillary pedicels, abundantly covered with minute, globular, 

 stalked glands (the pedicels of which are manifest on the margins of the 

 corolla-lobes) ; corolla adnate to the calyx, the lobes of which are reduced 

 to mere teeth ; fruit 1-1£' long, 6" in diameter, covered with glandular, 

 hairy prickles. — Cienega, Ariz. (581). Beyond doubt identical with 951 of 

 Mex. Bound. Survey. 



ApoDANTHEEAf tjndulata, Gray (PI. Wright. 2, p. 60). — Trailing vine, 

 several feet long. Fruit 3-4' in diameter. — Valley of the Rio Grande and 

 Eastern Arizona (373). 



CucuebitaJ digitata, Gray (PI. Wright. 2, p. 60). — " Root large, fleshy; 



* Elaterium, LiDn. — Flowers monoecious. Male flowers in a long raceme. Calyx-tube urceolate, 

 campanulate, or elongate-cylindrical. Corolla salver-shaped, tube short or elongated, inflated, or 

 cylindrical; lobes oblong, linear or lanceolate. Filaments united into an elongated column; anthes 

 raited into a small oblong or globose head; linear cells sigmoid, flexnose ; connective sometimes 

 produced beyond the cells. No rudiment of an ovary. Female flowers solitary. Calyx and corolla as 

 in the male flowers. No rudimentary stamens. Ovary obliquely ovoid, rostrate, hispid, or ecbinate, 

 1-6-ceIled, often 3-celled with 2 cells many-ovuled and the third empty, rarely 4-celled with one or two 

 of them empty, or with 4 small cells, 2 above and 2 below ; style columnar or filiform, contracted under 

 the large capitate stigma; ovules in cells 2-many, or a single ovule in each of the cellules. Fruit 

 obliquely ovoid, rostrate, gibbous, fleshy, 1-many-celled ("dehiscent at the apex," Gray). Seeds flat, 

 with the margins often crenulate. — Annual, climbing herbs, smooth or pubescent. Leaves cordate, entire, 

 lohed or parted. Tendrils 2-3-parted. — Bbntham & Hooker. 



tAFODANTHERA, Am. — Flowers monoecious or dicecious. Male flowers racemose. Tube of the 

 calyx funnel-shaped or cylindrical, dilated at the base, lobes 5, subulate. Corolla rotate, deeply 5-parted ; 

 segments oblong or linear. Stamens 3 or 4, sessile in the throat of the calyx ; anthers linear, connate in 

 the middle; one, or two 1-celled, the remainder 2-celled, cells nearly straight, connective not produced. 

 No rudimentary ovary. Female flowers solitary. Calyx as in the male, but more urceolate. Corolla 

 like the male. No rudimentary stamens! Ovary ovoid, with 3 placentas; style columnar, with a 3-lobed 

 fleshy stigma; ovules many, horizontal. Fruit fleshy, ovoid.— Climbing or prostrate herbs, pubesceut 

 or hispid. Leaves round, reniform, entire, or somewhat lobed. Flowers rather large, yellow.— Ben- 

 tham & Hooker. 



JChcurbita, Linn.— Flowers monoecious, all solitary. Male flower :— Calyx-tube campanulate, 

 rarely elongated, lobes 5; simple or foliaceous. Corolla campanulate, cleft to or below the middle. 

 Apices of the lobes recurved. Stamens 3, inserted in (he bottom of the calyx; filaments free; 

 anthers linear, confluent into a head, one, 1-celled; two, 2-celled; cells elongated,, sigmoid flexuose. 

 No rudiments of an ovary. Female flowers :— Calyx and corolla as in the male. Three rudimentary 

 stamens in the bottom of the calyx. Ovary oblong, with 3 placentas; style short, stigmas 3, 2-lobed 

 or forked; ovules many, horizontal. Fruit a berry, fleshy, often with a thick rind, indehiscenl 



