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.

BRANDEGEA

Species in genus: 1 sp
Etymology: (T.S. Brandegee, CA botanist & engineer, 1843–1925)

Native

B. bigelovii (S. Watson) Cogn.

Perennial from taproot
Stem ± glabrous; tendril unbranched
Leaf round, cordate to ± square, generally deeply lobed; central lobe generally longest; upper surfaces dotted with white glands
Inflorescences: staminate flowers in small axillary clusters; pistillate flowers 1 per node
Flower: corolla 1.5–3 mm wide, rotate or shallowly cup-shaped, cream
Fruit dry, indehiscent, asymmetric, ± prickly; body 5–6 mm, ± = beak
Seed 1
Ecology: Canyons, washes
Elevation: < 900 m.
Bioregional distribution: Desert
Distribution outside California: sw Arizona, Mexico
Flowering time: Mar–Apr