Cucumis anguria L.
var. anguria

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Catapu, Sofala.

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Synonyms:	Cucumis ficifolius sensu Wild Cucumis longipes Hook. f.
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Annual herb with prostrate or climbing stems up to 3 m long, with spreading bristly hairs. Leaves broadly ovate in outline, up to 10 × 12.5 cm, usually deeply 3-7 lobed, with bristly hairs on both surfaces, becoming roughly puntate; margin finely sinuate-denticulate; petiole 2-12 cm long, with long spreading bristly hairs. Flowers unisexual on the same plant, yellow. Male flowers in 2-10-flowered axillary clusters, c. 1.4 cm in diameter; female flowers solitary, c. 2 cm in diameter, sometimes in the same cluster as male flowers. Fruits subglobose or ellipsoid, up to 4.5 × 3.5 cm covered in soft spines, green, sometimes with pales stripes, turning pale yellow when ripe; fruit stalk 5-21 cm long, somewhat expanded upwards.
Notes:	- The fruits of this species are edible and the taste is similar to that of the commercial cucumber. - This species is generally similar to Cucumis zeyheri but that species, apart from being a perennial with very bitter, inedible fruit, has shorter, backwardly pointed bristly hairs on stems and petioles; has generally smaller, more globose fruits and much longer fruit stalks that are expanded towards the fruit.
Derivation of specific name:
Habitat:	In open woodland and wooded grassland or in abandoned cultivation, often on kalahari sand.
Altitude range: (metres)	Up to 1500 m
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Widespread in tropical Africa, Australia and America but probably only native to Southern Africa, particularly the kalahari sand region.
Zimbabwe distribution:	N,W,C,E,S
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Images last updated:	Saturday 28 April 2012
Literature:	Baumann, G. (2005). Photographic Guide to Wildflowers of Malawi Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi Pages 88 - 89. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 11. Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 51. Heath, A. & Heath, R. (2009). Field Guide to the Plants of Northern Botswana including the Okavango Delta Kew Publishing Page 240. (Includes a picture). Jeffrey, C. (1978). Cucurbitaceae Flora Zambesiaca 4 Pages 164 - 165. Jeffrey, C. & Fernandes, R.B. (1986). 80. Cucurbitaceae Flora de Moçambique Junta de Investigaçoes de Ultramar, Centro de Botanica Pages 73 - 75. (Includes a picture). Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 38. Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 45.

Other sources of information about Cucumis anguria var. anguria:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Cucumis anguria var. anguria
Flora of Caprivi: Cucumis anguria var. anguria
Flora of Malawi: Cucumis anguria var. anguria
Flora of Mozambique: Cucumis anguria var. anguria
Flora of Zambia: Cucumis anguria var. anguria

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Cucumis anguria
African Plant Database: Cucumis anguria
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Cucumis anguria
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Cucumis anguria
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Cucumis anguria
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Cucumis anguria
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Cucumis anguria
JSTOR Plant Science: Cucumis anguria
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Cucumis anguria
Plants of the World Online: Cucumis anguria
Tropicos: Cucumis anguria
Wikipedia: Cucumis anguria