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VicFlora Flora of Victoria

Plantae
Tracheophyta
Magnoliopsida
Cucurbitales
Cucurbitaceae
Ecballium
Sibling

Ecballium elaterium

(L.) A.Rich. Squirting Cucumber

in Bory, Dict. Class. Hist. Nat. 6: 19 (1824)

Taxonomic status Accepted

Occurrence status Present

Origin Introduced

Degree of establishment Naturalised

Leaves with lamina 4–6 cm long, 4–7.5 cm wide, scabrous-hairy above, white-tomentose below; petiole 3.5–7 cm long, scabrous to tomentose. Male flowers on peduncles 1–6 cm long, pedicels 0.5–2 cm long; petals c. 1 cm long, yellow. Female flowers on peduncles 0.5–3 cm long; petals 0.5–1 cm long, yellow; ovary 0.5–1.5 cm long, brown, white-tomentose. Fruit 2–5 cm long, 1–1.5 cm wide; seeds 0.5 cm long, dark brown, smooth. Flowers and fruits Jan.–May.

MuM, Wim, VVP, VRiv, OtP, Gold, CVU, GGr. Also SA, NSW. Occurs in weedy areas such as railway reserves and roadsides, usually in drier regions.

Source:

Jobson, P.C. (1996). Cucurbitaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., ‍Flora of Victoria Vol. 3, Dicotyledons Winteraceae to Myrtaceae‍, pp. 379–385. Inkata Press, Melbourne.

Updated by: Val Stajsic, 14 Mar. 2021

Ecballium elaterium (hero image)

Spinning

Ecballium elaterium (distribution map)

Spinning

kingdom

phylum

class

order

family

genus

Higher taxa

species

Ecballium elaterium (L.) A.Rich.

Subordinate taxa

Flora of Australia

New South Wales Flora

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