Botany of the Cucurbits 



311 



staminate VA to 1% in, across, rotate, the shallow calyx-tube 

 not equalling the 5 subulate spreading calyx-lobes, the broad 

 obovate obtuse green-veiny corolla-lobes about 3 times exceed- 

 ing the calyx-lobes, the 3 short stamens with very large curling 

 anthers; pistillate flowers solitary, with 3 short very large 

 2-lobed stigmas and small not protruding staminodia, the ovary 

 usually 3-celled: fruit glob- 

 ular or oblong, mostly glab- 

 rous, with a hard rind and 

 sweet red or white flesh, on 

 the outside green and com- 

 monly more or less marbled 

 when ripe : seeds white or 

 black, elliptic, flat, ridged on 

 the edge, about Vo to % in. 

 long and % to % in. wide, 

 with a characteristic promi- 

 nence on either side at the 

 point, weighing 90 to 120 

 mg., lasting 5 or 6 years. — • 

 Tropical and South Africa. 

 The " citron " of housewives, 

 used for making of a pre- 

 serve, is a hard-fleshed 

 watermelon. A special kind 

 is grown in China for the 

 seeds, which are eaten. 



Cucurbita. The three do- 

 mesticated species of Cucur- 

 bita, comprising the 

 squashes, pumpkins and the 

 small yellow-flowered 

 gourds, are readily dis- 

 tinguished in the field when the eye is trained to recognize 

 the distinction, but may not be easily separated in herbarium 

 specimens or by description. Following are visual features 

 of separation : 



staminate flower of Cucurbita moschata 

 (X about Vz). 



