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Cucumis dipsaceus
Also called Hedgehog cucumber, Teasel gourd, Wild cucumber, Wild horned melon
Cucumis dipsaceus, also known as Arabian cucumber or hedgehog cucumber, is an annual climbing herb that can be found in tropical and arid locations. The plant is native to eastern Africa, first found in Sudan, southern Egypt, and Ethiopia. The developed fruits of the plant change from green to yellow and contain many seeds. The hairs that cover the oblong fruits nickname this species the “hedgehog cucumber”.
C. dipsaceus has several usages, as fodder, medicine, and human consumption. The cucumber is normally collected in the wild, but has also been domesticated. The young shoots and leaves of the plant are traditionally cooked with groundnut paste, and with coconut milk when available. The fruit of the plant is used medicinally as an analgesic.
Cucumis dipsaceus is native to Eastern Africa, first found in Sudan, Southern Egypt, and Ethiopia. C. dipsaceus is cultivated in Eastern Africa and is a commercial crop. The leaf of C. dipsaceus is consumed in these areas for its nutritional value. The fruit of the plant has also been used medicinally as an analgesic.
Small Wild Cucumber · Pea Pumpkin · West Indian gherkin · Snake vine · Rough Cucumber · Cucumis · Aardvark Cucumber · Cucumis hystrix · Madras Pea Pumpkin · Cantaloupe · Armenian cucumber · Melon
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Cucumis dipsaceus by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
Pet safety from the ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant lists.
