More than 2200 species of the wild flora and fauna photographed in Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, Mexico and the surrounding area.
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Fruits of Zihuatanejo
West Indian Gherkin
Cucumis anguria
-Vascular Plants (Phylum Tracheophyta)
-Flowering Plants (Subphylum Angiospermae)
-Begonias, Gourds, and Allies (Order Cucurbitales)
-Gourd Family (Family Cucurbitaceae)
-Tribe Benincaseae
-Melons & Cucumbers (Genus Cucumis)
-West Indian Gherkin (Cucumis anguria)
Cucumis anguria is an annual plant producing sprawling, slender stems up to 3 metres long. These stems usually sprawl over the ground, but can climb into other plants for support, attaching themselves by means of tendrils. 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 anguria, commonly known as West Indian gherkin, burr gherkin, or wild cucumber, is an annual climbing or trailing vine in the cucumber family (Cucurbitaceae). It has rough, hairy stems, tendrils, and palmately lobed leaves with toothed margins. The small yellow flowers are followed by oval to oblong fruits covered in soft or prickly bumps. The fruits are edible when young and are used as pickles in some regions.
Range
• Cucumis anguria is generally considered native to Africa, although it has been cultivated and naturalised widely throughout tropical and subtropical regions, including the Americas. It is established in Mexico, including Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, and the surrounding area.
Habitat
• It grows in open, sunny habitats such as grasslands, roadsides, cultivated fields, scrub, and disturbed ground. It favours warm conditions and well-drained soils, often spreading over the ground or climbing through nearby vegetation.