Cucurbitacee. 207 
vation. Amongst the more striking are: aurantiiformis, 
Orange Gourd, in colour and shape exactly resembling an 
orange ; limonis, Lemon Gourd; maliformis, Apple Gourd ; 
and pyriformis, Pear Gourd ; besides innumerable other dis- 
tinct intermediate and small-fruited varieties. Lagenaria 
vulgaris includes those popularly known as Trumpet, Hercules’ 
Club, Plate de Corse, Siphon, and Bottle Gourds. Ciewmis 
erinaceus and C. myriocérpus are respectively the Hedgehog 
Cucumber and Gooseberry Gourd. Trichosdnthes colubrina is 
the Snake Gourd. The names are sufficiently descriptive of 
most of those above enumerated, especially as many of them 
are not distinguishable except by their fruits. The native 
countries of most of the edible species cannot be given with any 
degree of certainty. Of hardy perennial species we may cite 
Abdbra viridiflora, a native of Uruguay, with annual stems, 
finely-cut leaves, and greenish-white stellate flowers succeeded 
by small bright scarlet berries; and Thladiantha diibia, with 
cordate hirsute leaves, an abundance of medium sized yellow 
flowers, and bright red fruits about the size and form of a hen’s 
egg. Both of the foregoing are dicecious. 
Orver LL—BEGONIACE. 
This order comprises one vast genus, Begonia, containing up- 
wards of 350 species, and one or two monotypic genera. The 
species are mostly succulent herbs of variable habit and duration, 
and many have perennial tuberous rhizomes. Leaves alternate, 
simple, variously lobed or entire. Flowers often very showy, 
white, rose, scarlet or yellow, unisexual and unsymmetrical. 
Segments of the perianth 2 or more, all petaloid. Stamens 
many; filaments free or connate. Fruit capsular or baccate, 
often angular and 3-winged. Seeds numerous, very minute. 
Nearly all the species are tropical, but one or two from the 
Andes have recently been introduced and distributed as hardy 
plants, and one Chinese species needs only slight protection. 
Many others may be planted out in Summer in sheltered 
situations. 
1. B. Evansiana, syn. B. discolor.—This is a very free- 
flowering large-leaved caulescent species from China. The 
leaves unequally cordate, sharply toothed, hispid above, and 
