ECBALLIUM ELATERIUM

Family and Genus:- See- CUCURBITACEAE

Common Names:- Squirting cucumber

Homotypic Synonyms:- Bryonia elaterium, Ecballium agreste, Ecballium

elaterium var. monoicum, Momordica elaterium.

Meaning:- Ecballium (Gr) Expeller.

Elaterium (Gr) Greek name for the squirting cucumber.

General description:- Low to short spreading, bristly perennial, with a tuberous

rootstock without tendrils.

Stems:-

1) 15-60 cm.

Leaves:-

1) long-petiolate; lamina 4-10 cm, cordate to triangular, entire, denticulate or rarely

shallowly lobed, undulate, rather fleshy.

Flowers:-

1) Corolla of male flowers 18-20 mm, yellowish, male and female separate but on

the same plant, male in short racemes, the female solitary.

Fruit:-

1) Like a small cucumber; 44-5 x 2·5 cm, green, ovoid, very hispid, dehiscing

explosively at the base.

Comments:-

The liquid around the seeds can cause skin irritation or inflammation.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Ruderal habitats in towns and villages, roadsides and field margins. 0-600

Distribution:- Widespread and common throughout the Mediterranean. Fairly

widespread across Crete.

Flowering time:- Mainly Apr-June and sporadically most of the year.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton