CUCURBITACE;E. 143 



ers on a solitary filiform reverted axillary pedicel twice 

 the length of the petiole, accompanying the male raceme. 

 Calyx and corolla as in the barren flower. Vestiges of 

 the stamens obscure. Disk urceolate, crenulated. Ovary 

 oblong: style short: stigma capitate, 3-partite, with the 

 divisions bifid. Berry pendulous, size of a sparrow's egg t 

 ovoid, purple when ripe, glabrous, 3-celled : seeds nume- 

 rous, ovate, albido-sericeo-villous, inserted by the sharp 

 end to the angle formed by the septum and the rind. 



This is a very common plant in the mountains, and in 

 seasonable districts. When it grows in a cleared place, 

 it may be observed sending out a long filiform sarmentum 

 in search of some shrub or other object to which it may 

 attach itself. As I could not reconcile this plant, to the 

 generic characters of melothria, I preferred forming a 

 new genus for its reception. 



IX. Trichosanthes. 



Flowers monoecious, white. <? Calyx subcla- 

 vate, 5-partite 5 lobes setaceo-apendiculated, ex- 

 ternally furnished with 5 teeth alternating with 

 the lobes. Corolla 5-partite, ciliated. Filaments 

 with 3 stamens (triadelphous) : anthers coales- 

 cing, with the locales very flexuose. 9 Calyx 

 5-toothed. Corolla 5-partite, lacinioso-ciliated. 

 Style 3-fid : stigmata oblong, subulate. Fruit 

 oblong, I ? — 3-9-celled. Seeds compressed, tuni- 

 cated, obtuse^ much depressed. — DC. 



Name from r%ix*s hairs, and av% a flower in allusion to 

 the lobes of the corolla being fringed or ciliated. 



1. Trichosanthes Colubrina. Snake-plant. 



Stem sulcated, cirrhi tripartite, leaves cordato- 

 subrotund obsoletely 3-5-lobed remotely toothed 

 villoso-pubescent, male flowers panicled, female 

 flowers axillary subsessile arising with the pedun- 

 cle of the male flowers. Calyx very long with 

 the limb reflected, fruit subterete very long, seeds 

 obovate red. 



