Cucumis anguria L.
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Authority
Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro. 2005. Vines and climbing plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 51: 1-483.
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Family
Cucurbitaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Description - Herbaceous vine, creeping or climbing by axillary tendrils, which attains 0.25-2 m in length. Stems branched from the base, slender, angular, hirsute; tendrils simple, shorter than the leaves. Leaves alternate; blades 3-10 x 3.5-1 cm, deeply 3-5-palmatilobed, the lobes oblong or oblanceolate, the apices obtuse or rounded, the base lyrate, the margins ciliate, crenate or denticulate; upper surface dull, scabrid; lower surface pale green, dull, scabrid, with prominent venation and hispidulous; petioles sulcate, hispidulous, 6-12 cm long. Flowers solitary or in axillary fascicles, unisexual. Calyx campanulate, yellowish, 5-6 mm long, villous-spinulose; corolla pale yellow, ca. I cm long, the lobes acute. Berry ellipsoid or obovoid, spinulose, 4-5 cm long, greenish yellow, edible; seeds numerous, elliptical, cream-colored, 1-1.3 cm long.
Description - Collected in flower and fruit from January to March and in July and November.
Conservation Status - Exotic, naturalized, uncommon.
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Common Names
pepinillo silvestre, cocombro, pepineto, wild cucumber