774 
THE PERSIAN MELON. 
Malum, latin) an apple. Cucumis Melo therefore, may literally be 
translated the Apple cucumber, and with some proj)riety, because the 
fruit approaches towards the figure of an apple. But its chief and 
particular resemblance may be refeiTed to the odor which it emits : 
in fact, so closely does the specific aroma of many melons approach 
to that of the apple, that persons may be deceived who are not aware 
of the exact situation of each. 
The Genus or family Cucumis, belongs to the subclass Calyciflorae 
of the Jussieuean, or natural system; this division contains plants, 
whose petals (or flowers proper) are separate from and inserted into 
the Calyx, or external cup ; and whose stamens are perigynous, or 
distinct from the Corolla and inserted in the Calyx ; and to the order 
Cucurbitacece, that is to say, it is one of a tribe of plants whose na- 
tural character closely, or more or less resembles that of the Gourd, 
(Cucurbita.) 
In the Linnean system, the genus Cucumis is found in the twenty- 
first class Moncecia, and eighth order Monadelphia. The compound 
word Monoecia is derived from the greek words Monos, one and 
Oikos a house : the class includes those families which have distinct 
male and female blossoms, but still growing on the same individual 
plants. The term MonaJeljjhia from Monos, one and adelphos, a 
brother, expresses a peculiar structure or arrangement of the stamens 
or male organs ; whereby they are (however numerous, may be the 
anthers or tips) united at their base, so that they may be detached 
and removed in one entire body from the flower. 
The generic character of this genus Cucumis, is described as con- 
sisting of two distinct species of blossoms. The male flower has a 
five-toothed calyx (flower-cup) a bell-shaped corolla of one petal, 
divided into five parts to a considerable depth, and three stamina 
more or less united. 
The female or fructiferous flower resembles the male in most par- 
ticulars ; but in lieu of the stamens, it has a three cleft pistil or cen- 
tral column, and a swollen roundish, oval, or very long germen be- 
low the blossom, which crowns and terminates it at the apex. This 
germen becomes the future fruit. The female does not contain sta- 
mens and anthers projierly so considered. Nevertheless, I have fre- 
quently remarked in the melon, at least, three or four processes 
closely resembling anthers, that surround the pistil near its summit, 
and which, I am inclined to think, partake somewhat of the charac- 
ter of true anthers, and may perhaps, act as efficient organs of im- 
pregnation. 
The Housainee, or Hoosainee melon, is one of those extraordinary 
