51 
Order XXXIV. CUCURBlTACEiE. The Gourd Tribe. 
CucuRBiTACE^ Juss. Gm. 393. (1789) ; Aug. St. HU. in Mem. Mus. 9. 190-221. (1823) ; 
DC. Prodr. 3. 297. (1828) ; Lindl. Synops. 319. (1829). — Nandhirobe^, Aug. de 
St. HU. 1. c. (1823) ; Turpin Diet, des Sc. Atlas. (?) 
Essential Character. — Flowers usually unisexual, sometimes hermaphrodite. Calyx 
5-toothed, sometimes obsolete. Corolla 5-parted, scarcely distinguishable from the calyx, 
very cellular, with strongly marked reticulated veins, sometimes fringed. Stamens 5, 
either distinct, or cohering in 3 parcels ; anthers 2-celled, very long and sinuous. Ovary 
inferior, 1 -celled, with 3 pariet^ placentae; style short; stigmas very thick, velvety or 
fringed. Fruit fleshy, more or less succulent, crowned by the scar of the calyx, 1 -celled, 
with 3 parietal placentae. Seeds flat, ovate, enveloped in an aril, which is either juicy, or 
dry and membranous ; testa coriaceous, often thick at the margin ; embryo flat, with no 
albumen; foliaceous, veined ; radicle next the hilum. — iJoofs annual or perennial, 
fibrous or tuberous. Stem succulent, climbing by means of tendrils formed by abortive 
leaves (stipules, St. HU.) . Leaves palmated, or with palmate ribs, very succulent, covered 
with numerous asperities. Flowers white, red or yellow. 
Anomalies. The ripe fruit is divided into 3 or 4 cells in some Momordicas, and is 
occasionally dry, opening by valves at the apex. 
Affinities. Placed by Auguste de St. Hilaire and De Candolle between 
Myrtacese, to which they appear to have little affinity, and Passifloracese, to 
wffich they are so closely allied, that they scarcely differ, except in their sinuous 
stamens, unisexual flowers, and exalbuminous seeds, the habit of both being 
exactly the same. By the former of these two writers a very particular 
account of the structure of the order has been given in the Memoires du Museum. 
He adopts the opinion of Jussieu, that the apparent corolla of these plants is 
really a calyx, considering the apparent calyx to be merely certain external 
appendages. In discussing the affinities of the order, which he does much at 
length, he remarks, that Carica (now the type of the order Papayacese) should 
be excluded ; that the tendrils of Cucurbitaceae are transformed stipules, but 
scarcely analogous to the stipules of Passifloraceae ; that there is an affinity 
between the order and Campanulaceae, manifested in the perigynous insertion 
of the stamens, the inferior ovary, the single style with several stigmas, the 
quinary division of the flower connected with the ternary division of the fruit, 
and, finally, some analogy in the nature of the floral envelopes. He, however, 
chiefly insists upon their affinity with Onagi'aceae, with which, including Com- 
bretaceae, they agree in their definite perigynous stamens, single style, exal- 
buminous seeds, fleshy fruit, and occasionally in the unisexual flowers and 
climbing stem, being connected in the latter point of view with Onagraceae 
through Gronovia, a climbing genus then referred to that order. He also 
points out the further connexion that exists between Cucurbitaceae and Ona- 
graceae through Loasaceae, which, with an undoubted affinity to the latter, 
have the habit of the former, especially in the genus Gronovia which has just 
been named. With regard to the supposed affinity of Cucurbitaceae to Myrtaceae, 
this is founded upon the characters of a small group, called Nandhirobe^, 
consisting of plants having the habit of Cucurbitaceae, but some resemblance in 
the form of the fruit to that of Lecythidaceae, which border closely upon Myrta- 
ceae : but beyond this resemblance in the fruit, which appears to be altogether 
a structure of analogy rather than of affinity, I find little to confirm the 
approachment. 
Geography. Natives of hot countries in both hemispheres, chiefly within 
the tropics ; a few are found to the north in Europe and North America, and 
several are natives of the Cape of Good Hope. India appears to be their 
favourite station. 
Properties.' One of the most useful orders in the vegetable kingdom, 
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