533 BOTANY. 



Cucurhita maxima, the large Winter Squash ; C. verrucosa, the Crook- 

 necked Squash ; and G. Pepo, the Pumpkin, are well known in cultiva- 

 tion. Their nativity is unknown. According to Dr. Gray, the Pump- 

 kin was " cultivated as now along with Indian Corn by the North 

 American Indians before the coming of the whites." 



Cuciimis Melo, the Musk-Melon, and C. sativus, the Cucumber, are 

 doubtless natives of India. 



Citrullus milga/ria, the Watermelon, is a native of India. 



Tlie dried flesh and seeds of OitrvMws Oolocynthis, of the Eastern 

 Mediterranean region, constitutes the poisonous drug Colocynth. 



Lagenaria mlgaris, the common Gourd, a native of Asia and Africa, 

 is cultivated for its fruits, which are made into bottles, drinking ves- 

 sels, etc. 



Luffa ^gyvtiea, the Towel Gourd of E<iypt, is now grown in thfr 

 West Indies and the Soitthern United States. Its fruit is somewhat 

 larger than a Cucumber, and is very fibrous internally ; its rind and 

 seeds are removed, and the fibrous portion used as a bath sponge. 



EcMnoeystis Idbata, the Wild Cucumber or Balsam Apple of the-. 

 Eastern United States, is a rapidly growing climber, valuable for ar- 

 bors, screens, etc. 



Order Passifloracese. — The Passion-Flower Family. Trees, shrubs,, 

 or herbs, mostly of the tropics. Species 350, represented in the South- 

 ern United States by four or five species of Passiflora, and in conserv- 

 atories by magnificent climbers of the same genus from South America. 



Carica papaya, the Papaw of tropical America, is a small tree, bear- 

 ing large edible fruits. 



Order Tumeracese. — Tropical herbs and shrubs. 



Order Iioasaoese. — Herbs of warm climates, mostly American. 



Order Samydacese. — Trees and shrubs of the tropics. 



593. Cohort XXV.— Myrtales. Flowers mostly actino- 

 morphic ; ovary usually inferior, syncarpous ; placentse in the 

 axis (or apical, rarely basal) ; leaves simple, and usually entire. 



Order Onagracese. — Herbs, shrubs, and trees, about 300 species, of 

 temperate climates, represented in the United States by species of Epi- 

 lobium, (Enothera, and other genera. In conservatories, many species, 

 of Fuchsia are cultivated for their beautiful flowers. They are natives 

 of Mexico and Soutli America. 



Trapa natans, a curious aquatic plant of Central and Southern 

 Europe, is called Water Chestnut, and its large nut-like horned fruits 

 are nutritious. T. bispinosa, of Northern India, and T. bicornis, of 

 China, are extensively used for food in their native countries. 



Order Lytliracese. — Herbs, shrubs, and trees, mostly of the tropics. 



