evil. BEGONIACEJi]. 46f3 



bita omfera)'], Water Melon {Citrullus vuli/nris), and I\[elon (Cucmnis Melu), all Asiatic or African 

 species, cultivated in Europe from the highest antiquity. All these run into numerous varieties, with a 

 reticulated or smooth bark, tubercular sides, and white, yellow or red flesh, &c. The Water Melon 

 provides the natives of hot countries with a refreshing food. The juice of the Cucumber, mixed with 

 calves' fat, is largely used as a cosmetic ; the fruit of one of its varieties, gathered before it is ripe and 

 preserved in vinegar, forms a condiment known by the name of Gherkin. [The true or West Indiai 

 Gherkin is the unripe fruit of Cumtmis Angm-ia.'] Ciicumis Dudaun is cultivated in Turkey for iU 

 fruit, which has a delicious scent, but insipid pulp. The seeds of these different species contain a fixed 

 oil and mucilage, which lead to their employment as an emulsion; the seeds of the Cucumber, Melon, 

 Pumpkin, and Gourd are called in pharmacy the 'four larger cold seeds.' Telfairia pedata, a shrub growing 

 wild on the shores of East Africa, and cultivated in the Mascarine Islands, is renowued for the edible 

 fixed oil which is contained abundantly in its cotyledons, [as also T. occidentalis, found in West Africa'. 

 All the cultivated Cueurbitaoem are remarkable for polymorphism and the variety of their fruits. 

 Lagenaria produces both the small gourds of pilgrims and enormous calabashes. TricJiosanthes colubrinn, 

 from equatorial Asia, has slender cylindrical fruits, red, yellow and green, coiled like a .serpent, and 

 six feet long. We may also mention Luffa, the fruit of which, dried and reduced to its fibrous part, 

 serves as a sponge or dishcloth in the Antilles, [and is sold as ' Egyptian Bath-sponge ' in England. Benin- 

 casa cerifera, of tropical Asia, or White Gourd, yields a wax on the surface of its fruit; it is considered a 

 type of fertility in India, and presented to newly-mamed couples. Acanthosicyos, a remarkable erect 

 furze-like leafless spinescent plant of the desert regions of South Africa, produces a small gourd whose 

 edible pulp is much sought by the natives. The oily seeds of Femllea are intensely bitter, emetic, and 

 purgative, audits oil is largely-used for lamps, &o. — Ed.]. 



CVII. BEGONIACEJE, Br. 



FlO"WEES monoecious. Stamens numerous. Awthees extrorse. Ovary inferior, 

 S-celled, m,any-ovuled. Capsule with 3 cells winged on tlie hack, and 3 loculicidal 

 valves. Seeds nuTnerous; albumen scanty or 0. Embeto straight, axile. 



Heebs with, a fleshy tuberous rhizome, or undeeshkubs or sheubs with 

 watery acidulous juice. Stem alternately branched, cylindric, swollen at the nodes, 

 jointed. Leaves alternate, sometimes distichous, rarely sub-whorled, petioled, 

 simple, usually palmi- or peltate- or penni-nerved, sides usually unequal, cordate at 

 the base, denticulate, teeth often mucronate, rarely entire and linear-lanceolate, 

 sometimes variously cut, folded within the stipules before expansion, hairs usually 

 simple, rarely stellate, scattered over the upper surface, and principally situated on 

 the nerves of the lower surface ; stipules free, often caducous. Flowees monoecious, 

 on axiUary peduncles, branching into cymes, $ in the middle, ? at the circum- 

 ference, furnished below the inflorescence with membranous bracts. Flowees $ : 

 Peeianth petaloid, with 2-seriate leaflets, which may be considered as calyx and 

 corolla ; outer leaflets 2, opposite, valvate in bud ; inner usually 2, folded in bud, 

 alternate with the outer, sometimes 3-7, or 0. Stamens numerous, in the centre of 

 the flower; filaments distinct, or variously monadelphous, continuous with the 

 connective; anthers extrorse [or dehiscing laterally], 2-celled, cells adnate to the 

 connective and separated by it, opening by 2 longitudinal slits, or rarely by 2 

 terminal pores. Eudimentary ovaet 0. Flowees ? : lobes of perianth (sepals and 

 petals) nearly alike in form and colour ; sometimes 2, valvate in bud, and opposite ; 

 sometimes 3-4, of which 1-2 are inner and smaller ; sometimes 6-6-8, imbricate in 

 lm/1 rivATjv infArmr^ nsna.llv divided into cells corresnondinsr to the stvles. and 



