Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrader
- Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrader
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Cucurbitales
Family: Cucurbitaceae
Genus: Citrullus Schrad.
Species
Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrad.
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Citrullus colocynthis subsp. insipidus (Pang.) Fursa
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Citrullus colocynthis subsp. stenotomus (Pang.) Fursa
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Citrullus colocynthis var. insipidus Pang.
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Citrullus colocynthis var. stenotomus Pang.
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Citrullus dimidiens Gand.
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Citrullus nubica Gand.
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Citrullus pseudocolocynthis M.Roem.
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Colocynthis officinalis Schrad.
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Colocynthis officinarum Cogn.
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Colocynthis vulgaris Schrad.
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Cucumis bipinnatifidus Wight
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Cucumis bipinnatifidus Wight ex Naud.
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Cucumis colocynthis L.
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Cucumis pseudocolocynthis Wender.
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Cucurbita colocyntha Link
A perennial, spreadingly branched herb with usually rigid scabrid - raspy branches and leaves. Tendrils simple, usually unbranched. Leaves petiolate, lamina up to c. 12 x 6 cm, pinnately 3-5 - lobed, the lobes lobulate with somewhat involute margins; base deeply cordate. Female flowers on up to about 3.5 cm long pedicels, ovary hairy. Fruit globose, up to c. 10 (-12) cm across, longitudinally green - striped when young, smooth and uniformly pale yellow at maturity on drying up these become very light rattling balls rolling around on the ground or carried away by water; very bitter.
Saudi Arabia: Widely distributed especially in wadis and areas receiving rainwater run - off.
Distribution: Tropical and subtropical Africa, Middle East, Pakistan, India. Introduced in Australia and elsewhere.