876 CVCTJBBITACEM, [Cucubbita, 



dicBcions moderately large, solitary and white in the Indian species, 

 without bracts. Male : Calyx-tuhe companulate, short, limh 

 o-lobed. Corolla campanulate, 5-lobed about | way down. Stamens 

 3 ; anthers exsert, connate, one 1-celled, two 2-celled, cells conduplicate. 

 Fem. : Calyx and corolla as in the male. Ovary oblong ; styh 

 long, with 3 bifid stigmas ; ovules many, horizontal ; flacentas 3, 

 vertical. Fruit fleshy, indehiscent, cylindric, smooth. Seeds many, 

 ovoid, compressed, margined. — Species about 19, in Trop. Asia and 

 Africa. 



C. indica, ^. ^ A. Prod. 347 ; Pi,oyle III. 218 : Bene in Jacquem. Voy. 

 Bot. t. 72 ; D ^ G. Boml. Fl. 103. C cordifoHa, Coan. in DC. Mo7i. 

 Than. Hi, 529. Cephalandra indica, Naud. : F. B. T. ii, 621 ; Watt E. D. 

 Momordica monadelpha, Pi^oxh Fl . Ind. Hi, 708. — Yern. Kanduri. 



A perennial with tuberous roots. Leaves 2-4 in. in diam., 5-angled or 

 -lohed, cordate, shining, scabrid ; petiole 1 in. .Flowers white. Male 

 peduncle 1 in. . jointed below the flowers. Calyw-lobes linear-oblong, 

 reflexed. Corolla nearly 1 in. ; lobes long, triangular. Fern, peduncle 

 ahout i in. Oavry smooth. Fridt ovoid or oblong, hright-scarlet. 

 Seeds embedded in red pulp. 



Common within the area. Dtstrib. Throughout India and in Ceylon/ 

 also in the Malay Penins., often cultivated. The young green fruit is 

 used in curries, and when ripe it is eaten raw. The plant is also used 

 medicinally. A vertical section of the fruit resembles that of a small 

 pomegranate. 



10. CUCURBITA, Linn. ; Fl. Brit. Ind. ii, 621. 



Large climbing herbs, annual or perennial, hispid or hairy. 

 Tendrils 2-4-fid. Leaves petioled, cordate, ovate, 5-angular or lobed. 

 Flowers monoecious, all solitary, yellow, large. Male : Calyx-tube 

 campanulate ; lobes 5, linear or foliaceous. Corolla campanulate, 

 5-Jobed hardly half-way down. Stamens 3, inserted low in the calyx- 

 tr.be ; anthers connate, one 1-celled, two 2-celled, cells conduplicate. 

 Fem.: Calyx and corolla as in male. Ovary oblong, style short, 

 stigmas 3, bifid ; ovules very many, horizontal, 'placentas 3. Fruit 

 fleshy, indehiscent, often large. Seeds ovoid or oblong, compressed, 

 margined or not. — Species 10, four of which are in cultivation. 



Leaves rigid ; cal.-tube campanulate ; segments subulate, fleshy. 

 Lobes of leaf rounded, sinuses between lobes 

 hardly any, peduncle terete . . . . 1. C. maxima. 



Lobes of leaf acate, sinuses between the lobes 

 usually deep, peduncles obtusely .>gonal . 2. C. Pepo. 



Leaves soft, cal.-tube very short or none, seg- 

 ments foliaceous at the tips . . . . 3. C. moschata. 



