THE GOURD FAMILY. 



379 



The Gourd Family. 



(CUCURBITACE^.) 



Annual or perennial, tuberous rooted, trailing or tendril 

 climbing plants, with soft porous stems, often attaining a 

 great height. Leaves alternate, generally heart-shaped, entire, 

 more or less lobed, or palmate. Flowers unisexual, generally 

 yellow or white, axillary, solitary, or in umbel-like panicles. 

 Corolla 5-parted, or united (gamopetalous), entire or fringed. 

 Stamens generally 5, free, or more or less united. ' Pistils 

 short. Stigma lobed, thick and spongy. Fruit succulent 

 and fleshy, globose or cylindrical, varying in size from a 

 small berry to from ,2 to 3 feet in diameter ; or in length 

 from 2 inches to 6 feet ; containing numerous flat seeds em- 

 bedded in fleshy pulp, rarely 1-seeded. 



Upwards of 270 species are enumerated of this family. 

 They are chiefly natives of the tropics of both hemispheres. 

 In Europe, and other parts of the north temperate regions, 

 they are represented by the genus Bryonia, but are sparingly 

 found in the southern hemisphere, except the culinary kinds, 

 which, by cultivation, are widely distributed over the tem- 

 perate and warm regions of the earth. 



Cucumber (Cucumis sativa). According to Bible history 

 this well-known vegetable appears to have been extensively 

 cultivated in Egypt,* in the time of Moses, and still continues 

 to be so, as well as in many other countries at the pre- 

 sent day. Gherkins are simply the fruit gathered in a 

 young state, and form a well-known pickle. The principal 

 constituent of " West India Pickles," is the fruit of Cucumis 

 Anguria, supposed to be originally a native of tropical 

 West Africa, but now extensively cultivated in the West 

 Indies, and many parts of tropical America. 



Melon (^Cucumis melo). This, like the cucumber, is also 

 of ancient fame. There are a great many varieties cultivated 



Numbers, chap. xi. ver. 5. 



