curbitaceae, are distinguished from all others by their stamens, but more especially the anthers,
the cells of which, in most of the order, are very long, winding upwards and downwards on the
exterior surface of the connectivum. This structure of the anther, combined with the very remarkable
one of the ovary and fruit, added to the habit of the plants and lateral tendrils, widely
separate this from every other order in the vegetable kingdom. Various attempts have, however,
been made to find associates near which to place them in the system of plants. Of the
orders thus selected, as relations, some have superior some inferior fruit, some albumenous some
exalbumenous seed, but all, except Lindley’s group of Epignoses, among which he places it are
objectionable on account of their one-celled ovary : but, as a set off against this advantage he
constructs his Cucurbital alliance of plants, having Parietal placentas which properly speaking,
excludes Cucurbitacece. This group, however, remodeling the alliance will, I apprehend, be
found upon the whole the best place, as agreeing with their general character “ ovary inferior
usually having an epigynous disk” but upon no other account, as in truth they have no relations
here. The term Peponiferae under which Meisner groups 9, and Bartling 8 orders is most
incorrect as being only applicable to one member of the group.
G eographical D istribution. This family though essentially a tropical one and of more
frequent occurrence in India than in any other country, has yet a wide distribution over the
world, a few being found even so far north as Europe and one in Britain. At the Cape, we
learn from Harvey’s “ Genera of South African plants” that there are species referable to seven
different genera: one species is found in Norfolk island : but generally they are rare in Australia.
In equinoctial America and Africa they are of more frequent occurrence, but no where so abundant
as in India and her islands, extending eastward to China and Japan. Blume enumerates 46
species found by him in Java alone, which leads one to the inference that the rest of Asia will
be found to produce at least two or thre times as many more. M. Seringe however only assigns
70 to all Asia including Java, which single fact, shows how little this family is known. Since
more than half of the whole number are from that small portion. Let us hope this statement,
added to the increasing facilities, which our improved knowledge of their structure confers, in
the determination of species, may lead to greater attention being directed to their elucidation,
which will unquestionably repay the enquirer with a rich harvest of interesting discoveries.
P roperties and U ses. These are varied. Acrimony and a drastic tendency pervade
many species, the fruit of some of which afford cathartics of remarkable power, acting, in even
small doses, with great energy on nearly the whole line of the alimentary canal.
Generally speaking,however, this intensity of power is of rare occurrence though the property
is found more or less active in every part of the plant; mildly in the roots of some and the leaves
and young shoots of others, but in greatest intensity in the pulp surrounding the seed. The seed
themselves do not partake of that property, being in nearly all, mild and oily. There is reason
to believe that some at least, if not all the edible sorts, owe their freedom from this property
to cultivation, as some of them in the wild state are found to possess it in great intensity. The
Lagenarea vulgaris or bottle gourd may be cited as an example, it being recorded that, some
sailors were poisoned by drinking beer that had been standing in a flask made of one of these
gourds: and Dr. Royle mentions a somewhat similar case, where symptoms of cholera were
induced by eating the bitter pulp. The fruit of many of the species of Cucumis, the genus to
which the Melon and Cucumber belong, are powerfully cathartic, among these C. Hardwickii,
Royle and C. psudo-colocynthes Royle, may be enumerated as the chief, but even the Cucumber,
especially the less highly cultivated varieties of this country, are sometimes known to prove strongly
aperient in susceptible constitutions. 0. colocynthes (now Citrullus) is necessarily removed
from the genus but affords one of the most valuable medicinal agents derived from the order.
The Melon, C. melo, and C. ulilissimus, so far as I have been able to learn are free from it.
The fruit of some species of Lujfa are violently cathartic such as L. amara and L. Bmdaal
of Roxburgh, while those of L. acutangula (Cucumis amtavgulus Ainslie) are a favourite potherb
of the natives, and esteemed very wholesome. Some of the species of Bryonia especially
B. alba and B . dioica partake of the cathartic properties of the family in great intensity,
I; r.uriously enough it is said that the juice of the root is strongly cathartic, and is often employed as
| j-j while the young shoots are so free from the property that they are used as a pot herb and
said greatly to resemble asparagus in flavour. The purgative properties of the root have been long
I known and in the opinion of some modern writers have fallen into unmerited neglect, as being
I fully equal in power, even when dried and powdered, to Jalap and when recent much more so.
1 But of all those yet mentioned none approach the Elaterium in the concentrated virulence of this
ouality * a few grains of the pulp being known occasionally to bring on symptoms of poisoning,
I ^n(j a Case is recorded by Dr. Christison where a person after carrying a specimen in his hat was
I attacked with headache succeeded by colic pains and frequent bilious vomiting and purging.
B Such being the predominating quality of the family, it is well to be cautious in the use of
B even the best known—many however are in use as pot-herbs, among these may be mentioned B with iust encomiums the red gourd Cucurbita maxima (C. hispeda Ainslie) the flesh of which B when boiled somewhat resembles in taste a fine tender carrot. The water melon Cucurbita B citrullus so highly esteemed for the cool refreshing juice of its large fruit. The white gourd
■ / Benincasa cerifera or Cucurbita pepoJ which Ainslie informs us (under Cucurbita hispidaj
I ^ is presented at every native marriage feast, being supposed to ensure prosperity to the wedded
I i pair. The vegetable marrow ( Cucumis oviferaj justly esteemed one of our finest culinary vege-
I tables ; and a few others. .
All the numerous cultivated varieties of the melon and cucumber are known to be wholesome.
I I Some, if not all the Indian species of Momordica, seem equally safe. The fruit of several species
I E of Trichosanthes especially, those of T. anguina are in daily use, even among Europeans, I dressed in curries ; hut those of T. palmat.a are not used and are considered poisonous by the
I i natives. Those of our Coccinia indica, (Momordica monadelpha, Roxb.) so common in every
1 hedge, is eat by the natives in their curries and when fully ripe, (quite red and pulpy) seem to
I afford a favourite repast to many birds. Notwithstanding the drawbacks mentioned above, I this is certainly a most useful family of plants, owing to the great size of their fruit and the large
I quantity of nutritious matter which the edible sorts afford, and which, on that account, are I i largely cultivated in every part of India. Those unfit for food, supply many useful medicines,
1 but even the best known, ought to be used cautiously when not ameliorated in their qualities by
I [ cultivation.
B B I IR emarks on the G enera and S pecies. This bein g a family n o t y e t well u n d e rsto o d , the limits of the genera are consequently imperfectly determined, whence, in the opinion of some Botanists, several very unsuitable combinations of species are met with among them. 1 his seems probable enough, but is an error not easily avoided in families so natural, unless we are
very careful in the selection of our characters, and attentive not to introduce anything extraneous,
by the employment of characters derived from organs apt to vary in their forms, for, while
they appear to give greater precision, they actually weaken the definition, or may even render
it altogether useless. M. Serenge for example (D.C. Prod.) employs the relative size and shape
[of the calyx segments as generic characters, parts in themselves liable to vary, even in the same
I species, both in size and shape, therefore quite unfit to enter into a generic character, and when
iso employed are liable either to mislead or to constitute very artificial genera, and, what I
:|^consider still more objectionable, he constitutes one genus on account of its male flowers being
| | furnished with a large bractea, but excludes from it Trichosanthes palmata, the bractem of which
I [are equally conspicuous.
The order is divided into two tribes of very unequal magnitude, the one, JVhandirobeaet
I containing only two genera and very few species, the other Cucurbiteae, to which Meisner as-
I gsigns 35, but which are reduced by Endlicher to 28 genera.
The first of these tribes JYhandirobeae, has by Endlicher been raised to the rank of an
| lorder. Whether in this view, he is correct I am unable to say, as I have not a female flower (wherewith to examine the ovary, on the structure of which, as compared with that of true Cu-
|curbitaceae, the decision of the question must mainly depend. If the carpels are similarly inverted,
in both, which the section of the fruit in the accompanying figure seems to indicate,
then, I think it may very well be retained in its present position or at most removed as a sub-
IB