TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993)	previous taxon | next taxon Jepson Interchange (more information)
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CUCURBITACEAE

GOURD FAMILY

Robert L. Schlising

Annual, perennial herb, generally monoecious; hairs often hardened by calcium deposits
Stems trailing or climbing, 1–many; tendril generally 1 per node, often branched
Leaves generally simple, alternate, generally palmately lobed, veined, petioled; stipule 0
Inflorescences at nodes; staminate flowers in racemes, panicles, small clusters, rarely solitary; pistillate flowers generally solitary
Flower unisexual in CA, radial; hypanthium > ovary; calyx (apparently 0 or) generally 5-lobed; corolla rotate or cup-shaped, generally 5-lobed; stamens 3–5 (or appearing 1–3 from fusion), anthers often > filaments, twisted together; ovary ± inferior, chambers generally 5, placentas parietal, ± growing into chambers, styles 1–3, stigmas generally lobed, large
Fruit: berry (sometimes drying) or capsule (irregularly dehiscent), generally gourd- or melon-like
Seeds 1–many
Genera in family: 100 genera, 700 species: especially tropical; some cultivated (Citrullus ; Cucumis ; Cucurbita ; Sechium , chayote). Citrullus colocynthis var. lanatus has been reported as a weed in DSon.