Alsomitra.] lxv. cucurbitaceve. 853 
young, covered with a white bloom when adult. Commonly 
cultivated by the Chinese and Malays. 
Cucumis saiivus L. Native name : Timun China. Cucumber. 
Cucurbita Pepo L. Native names: Labu Ayer; Labu Manis; 
Labu Pringgi. The pumpkin. 
Cucurbita maxima Duch. Native name : Labu. Gourd. 
Lagmaria vulgaris Ser. Native names: Labu Jantong; Labu 
Ayer Putih; Labu Kendi. The bottle gourd. 
CitruUus vulgaris L. The water melon. Native name: Mendikai. 
Order LXVI. BEGONIACE^E. 
Succulent herbs. Stem rhizomatous or creeping, rarely tuberous, 
often simple or erect. Leaves alternate, usually unequally bilobed 
at base, sometimes equal-sided, entire, toothed or lobed. Stipules 2. 
Peduncles axillary dichotomously cymose. Flowers white or pink, 
unisexual. Males above, females below on the cymes. Males, 
sepals 2, petaloid. Petals 2, similar but smaller, occasionally 
absent. Stamens indefinite free or with the filaments connate 
into a column; anthers narrow linear or clubbed. Female perianth 
as in male, or with one extra petal. Ovary 2-, 3-, or 4-celled, 
triquetrous; ovules many; styles 2 to 4 free or connate at the 
base. Stigmas branched or twisted. Fruit capsular, rarely succu¬ 
lent, triquetrous, or 3-winged; wings equal or one larger than the 
other. Seeds very minute. Species 400, of 4 genera. Most 
belong to the genus Begonia. Distrib. All warm, wet tropical 
countries. 
BEGONIA, Linn. 
Characters of the Order. 
(King, Journ. As. Soc. Beng. lxxi. (2), p. 56.) 
i. Casparya. Fruit fleshy 3-angled, not winged (1) B. tricornis 
ii. Kniesbeckia. Capsule with 3 nearly equal narrow vertically oblong 
wings, 3-celled. 
Small herb; leaves round ovate, slightly 
oblique. . (2) B. Forbesii 
Short stout plant; leaves broad round oblique 
bullate . . . . . . (3) B. Rajah 
Tall herbs 2 to 3 ft.; leaves very unequal at 
base, glabrous. 
Male flowers -2 to -3 in. wide . . (4) B. isoptera 
Male flowers 1 -5 in, wide . . . . (5) B. isopteroidea 
Hairy herb 1 ft. tall; leaves oblique lanceolate, 
base narrow . . . . . (6) B. barbellata 
iii. Platycentrum. Capsule 2-celled; wings sub-equal, one larger but 
thin ; small plants; flowers usually small. 
Leaves glabrous; plant tuberous . . . (7) B, Curtisii 
Leaves hairy, no tubers. 
Leaves acute toothed, one or two . . (8) B, sinuata 
