Cucumis anguria

Linnaeus

Sp. Pl. 2: 1011. 1753.

Common names: West Indian or bur gherkin
Introduced
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 6. Treatment on page 36. Mentioned on page 32, 33, 34.

Plants dioecious, roots thin, without thick, woody rootstock. Tendrils setose. Leaves: petiole hispid to setose; blade broadly to narrowly ovate, deeply palmately 3–5-lobed to weakly 3-lobed or nearly unlobed, [sometimes pedately lobed], 3–12(–15) × 2.5–12(–15) cm, length 0.9–1(–2) times width, base cordate, lobes broadly elliptic to obovate, spatulate, or ovate, margins serrate or entire. Inflorescences: pedicels of pistillate flowers distally dilated; staminate flowers 3–10 in racemes, pedunculate or sessile; pistillate flowers: calyx lobes 2–4 mm, petals 6–8 mm, corolla tube 0–1 mm, sparsely puberulent inside. Pepos light yellowish green to light yellow, sometimes with light green stripes, usually ellipsoid, rarely obovoid, 2–7 × 1.5–4 cm, surfaces ± aculeate at maturity, flesh greenish white to yellowish green. 2n = 24.

Distribution

V6 56-distribution-map.jpg

Ala., Calif., Fla., Ga., Mass., Mont., N.Y., Tex., Africa, Atlantic Islands (Cape Verde Islands), introduced also in Mexico, West Indies, Central America, South America, Pacific Islands (Marquesas Islands), Australia.

Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Key

1 Pepos obscurely aculeate, aculei 1–2 mm; leaf blades deeply palmately 3–5-lobed. Cucumis anguria var. anguria
1 Pepos prominently aculeate, aculei 4–10(–15) mm; leaf blades deeply palmately 3–5-lobed to weakly 3-lobed or nearly unlobed. Cucumis anguria var. longaculeatus
... more about "Cucumis anguria"
Guy L. Nesom +
Linnaeus +
West Indian or bur gherkin +
Ala. +, Calif. +, Fla. +, Ga. +, Mass. +, Mont. +, N.Y. +, Tex. +, Africa +, Atlantic Islands (Cape Verde Islands) +, introduced also in Mexico +, West Indies +, Central America +, South America +, Pacific Islands (Marquesas Islands) +  and Australia. +
Introduced +
Cucumella +, Dicoelospermum +, Melo +, Mukia +, Myrmecosicyos +  and Oreosyce +
Cucumis anguria +
species +