88 
MOMORDIOA ELATERIUM. 
Female Flowers. Cahjx 5-cleft. Corolla 
5-parted. Style 3-cleft. Pome bursting elastically. 
Spec. Char. Pomes hispid. Tendrils none. 
This species of Momordica* is a native of the south of Europe, 
flowering in June and July ; the roots are perennial, hut, in this 
country, seldom survive through the winter ; however, when planted 
in a warm and dry soil, and the seasons have proved mild, the roots 
have occasionally lived through several winters, putting forth thtir 
stalks every spring; it has been cultivated in England since the year 
1596. The roots of the Elateriumt are large, long, and tleshy, and 
send out every spring, several thick rough trailing stalks, which 
divide into many branches (like the common cucumber,) extending 
several feet each way, but have no tendrils ; the leaves are irregularly 
heart shaped, slightly serrated, rough, reticulated, veined, of a dark 
green colour, the under side paler, and stand upon strong petioles ; 
the calyx consists of one leaf, divided into five narrow acute segments ; 
the corolla is monopetalous, and divided into five parts, of a yellow 
colour, reticulated with green veins; the female flowers are placed 
above the germen, the style is short and trifid, and each part termi- 
nated by gibbous stigmata ; in the male flowers, the three styles are 
short and tapering, two of which have cloven antherae, the other has 
a simple one ; the fruit is large, oblong, hairy, and divided into three 
cells, which contain many flat seeds. 
The Elaterium of commerce is the dried juice or feculence of the 
wild or spurting cucumber, when nearly ripe ; obtained as it flows 
from the fruit when cut, without using any pressure; the juice is let 
to stand for a few hours, the more liquid part poured off, and the 
sediment dried by exposing it to the atmosphere. The' Elaterium 
obtained by the above method, is distinguished on the continent by 
the name of white Elaterium ; another kind is prepared by strongly 
pressing out the juice, and applying heat to evaporate it to a proper 
consistence ; this extract is known by the name of Elaterium Nigrum ; 
above the germen. h. h male flower, c. A double anlliera. d. The germen, mounted by 
the trifid stjie, each part sustaining an oblong gibbous stigma. AVe had not room in 
our drawing to shew the fruit of its full size ; but the germen represents very perfectly 
the fruit in miniature. 
* Seven species of the Genus Momordica are known and cultivated in England. 
Vide Hort. Cant. 
t The specific name Elaterium was given this species of cucumber by the Greeks,, 
from the violence with which the fruit, when ripe, separates from the stalk, bursts and, 
sheds its seed ; from the same cause it has been named Noli me tangere. 
