More than 2200 species of the wild flora and fauna photographed in Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, Mexico and the surrounding area.
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Begonias, Gourds, and Allies of Zihuatanejo
ORDER CUCURBITALES
Teasel Gourd
Cucumis dipsaceus
Flowers by Colour
-Vascular Plants (Phylum Tracheophyta)
-Flowering Plants (Subphylum Angiospermae)
-Begonias, Gourds, and Allies (Order Cucurbitales)
-Gourd Family (Family Cucurbitaceae)
-Tribe Benincaseae
-Melons & Cucumbers (Genus Cucumis)
-Teasel Gourd (Cucumis dipsaceus)
Momordica dioica, commonly known as spiny gourd or teasel gourd. The plant is harvested from the wild, or more commonly cultivated, for its edible fruits and leaves and also for various medicinal uses.
Description
• Cucumis dipsaceus, commonly known as teasel gourd or hedgehog cucumber, is an annual climbing or trailing vine in the cucumber family (Cucurbitaceae). It has rough, hairy stems, tendrils, and broadly angled or lobed leaves. Small yellow flowers develop into distinctive oval fruits covered in dense, soft, bristly spines, giving them a teasel-like appearance. The fruits turn yellowish as they mature.
Range
• Cucumis dipsaceus is native to eastern Africa and parts of the Arabian Peninsula. It has been introduced and naturalised in other warm regions, including parts of the Americas. It is established in Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, and the surrounding area.
Habitat
• It grows in warm, sunny environments, including roadsides, disturbed ground, cultivated fields, scrub, and open woodland. It favours well-drained soils and can spread over the ground or climb through nearby vegetation using its tendrils.