M0N0ECIA MONADELPHIA 553 



Vide as long, somewhat o-angled and lobed, lobes acute, entire or minutely dentic- 

 ulate on the margin, the middle or terminal one lo?igest; petioles 2 to 3 or 4 inches 

 long. Flowers axillary, on short peduncles ; corolla yellow Fruit 6 to 12 indue 

 long, and 2 to 3 or 4 inches in diameter, elliptic>oblong, obscurely trigonous, or 

 tcitk 3 obtuse longitudinal ridges, rough with bristle-pointed tubercles when young 

 finally smootlUsh, mid of a tawny yellow color. Seeds lance-oblong, whitish. 



Hab. Gardens, and cultivated lots: common. Fl. June— Sept. Fr. Aug—Octo. 



Obs. Universally cultivated for the table. Tlie young fruit (sometimes called 

 gherkins— gallici, Cornichons— ) affords an esteemed pickle. 



3. C. Avglria, L. Stem prostrate, slender, hispid; leaves palmate- 

 sinuate, cordate at base ; fruit subglobosc, or oval, echinate. DC. 

 Prodr. 3. p. 301. 



\Tolfd-— Prickly Cucumber. Jerusalem Cucumber. 



Plant hirsute. Root annual. Stem 3 to 6 feet long, very slender, prostrate, 

 branching, angular, and hirsute, bearing simple tendinis. Leaves 3 or 4 inches 

 fang, and 2 or 2 an'l a half inches wide, deeply si?iuate-lobed ; petioles 1 or 2 inches 

 long Flowers greenish yellow, on axillary peduncles. Fruit usually about an 

 in A anihalf long, and an inch in diameter, elliptic-ovoid, or oval, muricate, green. 

 Seeds whitish. 



Hab. Gardens: frequent. Fi. July— August. Fr. Sept. 

 Obs. Often cultivated for the young fruit,— which is used for pickles. 



4. C. Citrullus, Ser. Stem prostrate, slender, hairy; leaves ob- 

 tusely sinuate-pinnatifid, bluish-glaucous beneath ; Jlotoers solitary, 

 pedunculate, with a single bract ; fruit elliptic, smooth, stcllate-mac- 

 ulaie. DC. Prodr. 3. p. 301. 



Cucurbita Citrullus. L. and the Authors here cited. 



Vulgo — Jl'ater JWelon. 



Gallicc— Melon d'eau. Germ. — JFasscr Melone. Hisp. — Sandia. 



Plant hairy. R »ot annual. Stem 8 to 12 or 15 feet long, slender, angular, very 

 hUry, somewhat branching, procumbent, with branching tendrils. Leaves 3 too 

 nr 6 Uwhes long, and 2 to 3 or 4 inches wide, ovale in their outline, somewhat 

 Globed, with theprinripal lobes sinuate-pinnatifuU the segments all obtuse ; petioles 

 2 to 3 inches long, generally erect. Flowers axillary, on liairy peduncles an inch 

 or more in length, with a single lance linear or oblong bract at the base of the 

 peduncle ; corolla pale greenish-yellow, or octroi eucous. Fru it 12 to 18 or 20 inches 

 lung, an:l G to 12 inches in diameter, elliptic, or subglobose, smooth, with a firm 

 fleshy rind, and, when mature, with a tender sweet watery pulp within, which is 

 Usually purple, sometimes nearly white. Seeds obovate, varying from purple to 

 nearly black. 



Hib Gardens, and cultivated lots: frequent. Fl. June— Aug. Fr. Aug— Sept. 



Obs. Tide plant, so well knotenfor its delicious fruit, is often cultivated, here ; 

 but our principal supply is furnished from New Jersey, — where the fruit comes to 

 greater perfection. There are several varieties of this, and of all the preceding 

 spt'ics. I have follow edVvot. De Candolle in arranging this plant with Cwou- 

 »ii ; but it seems to me to be rather an arbitrary and unnatural association . 

 There are no native species in the £~. States. 



47 



