274 CUCURBITACEJS. [Citeullus, 



4. C. sativus, Linn.; Roseh. Fl. Ind. Hi, 720; W. Sf A. Prod. 342; F. B. 

 1 a, 620; Gogn. in DC, Mon. Phan. Hi, 49S ; DC. L'Orig. PI. Cult. 210; 

 Field Sf Qard. Crops part ii, 53, t.tjLI Sf Lis ; Y/att E.D. C. Hardwickii, 

 Boyle lU. 220, t. 47, /. S .— Vern. Khira. (The Cucumber.) 



An annual. /Stem creeping, angled, scabrous. Leaves 3-o in. in diam., 

 angular or slightly 3-5 lobed, hispid on both surfaces and also softly 

 hairy; lobes triangular, acute or acuminate, dentate; petiole 2-?} in. 

 Petals f in. Young ovary muricate with rigid prickles. Fruit usually 

 elongate, cylindrical or obscurely trigonous, glabrous or tuberculate, 

 yelloffish-green. 



Cultivated in all parts of India, and in warm and temperate countries 

 throughout the world. Its original home has been traced to N. India, 

 where it has probably been under cultivation for at least 3,u00 years. 

 The variety of names by which it has been known in different parts 

 of Europe indicates a very early introduction to that continent. The 

 form 0. Hardivickii, now regarded as a synonym of C. sativus, has all 

 the essential characters of the cultivated plant, with the exception 

 of the fruit, which being very bitter is not used as a vegetable, but as 

 a medicine, and often as a substitute for colocynth. It is the air-dlu 

 of KumaoD, and the pahati indrayan of the submontane districts. 

 There are 2 distinct forms of the Indian cultivated cucumber, one with 

 a creeping stem and an egg-shapsd fruit which ripens during the hot 

 season ; the other, ripening during the rainy season, has an elon- 

 gated fruit more like that of trie ordinary English cucumber. Both of 

 these forms are figured in part ii of Field and Garden Crops. 



8. CITRULLUS, Neck. ; PL Erit. ii, 620. 



Climbing or creepinof herbs, hispid or scabrous ; tendrils 2-3-fid. 

 Leaves petioled, palmately 3-7-lobed, usually deeply into narrow 

 sinuate-pinnatifid segments. Flowers moBcecious, all solitary, rather 

 large. Male: Calyx-tube campanulate, lobes 5. Stamens 3, 

 sbort ; anthers scarcely cohering, one 1 -celled, two 2-celled ; cells' 

 conduplicate, connective not produced. Pem. : Calyx and corolla 

 as in male. Ovary ovoid, style short ; stigmas 3, reniform ; ovules 

 many, horizontal ; placentas 3. Fruit globose or ellipsoid, smooth, 

 fleshy, indehiscent. Seeds many, oblong, compressed, smooth. — 

 Besides the Water-melon and Colocynth described below 2 other 

 species are found in S. Africa. 



Perennial, fruit globose not exceeding 3 in., 



intensely bitter 1. C. Golocynthis. 



Annual, fruit subglobose or ellipsoid, up to 10 



in. in diam., usually sweet . . , , 2, C. vulgaris. 



1. C. Golocynthis, Schrad. ; D. Sf G, Bomb. n. 101 ; F. B. I. ii, 620 ; 



Field Sf Gard. Crops part ii, 57, t.lvii; Oogn. in DC. Mon. Phan. Hi, 

 510; Watt E.D. Cucumis Colocynthis, Linn.; Boccb. Fl. Ind. Hi, 719} 

 W. 4" A. Prod. 342. — Yern. Indrayan, mdhdl. (Colocynth.) 



