Cucumis L.

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit

Scandent or trailing perennial or annual herbs

Morphology Leaves

Leaves simple

Morphology General Tendrils

Tendrils simple or very rarely bifid

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Monoecious or dioecious; flowers small to medium-sized or rarely large

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Hypanthium

Hypanthium campanulate, ± setulose

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals 5, usually small, narrow

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals 5, yellow, united near the base

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 3, 2 two-thecous, 1 one-thecous, inserted on the middle of the hypanthium; filaments short; thecae triplicate, straight or apically hooked

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Female flowers solitary Male flowers solitary or in small fascicles

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary usually with soft apically setiferous spines or pustules, less often smooth and hairy

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary Ovules

Ovules numerous, horizontal

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth

Perianth similar to that of male flowers

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Disc

Disc annular, surrounding base of style Disc elevated, free from the hypanthium

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Stigma

Stigmas 3

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit subglobose to cylindric or fusiform, firmly fleshy, smooth and hairy or with sparse to dense apically setiferous spines, tubercles or pustules

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds ovate or elliptic in outline, smooth, compressed.

Distribution

About 60 species in the palaeotropics, mostly in tropical and southern Africa.

Cucurbitaceae, C. Jeffrey. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1967

Morphology General Habit

Medium-sized climbing or trailing herbs; stem annual, usually ± hispid- or scabrid-hairy

Morphology Leaves

Leaves simple, palmately lobed, petiolate

Morphology General Tendrils

Tendrils simple

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers small to medium-sized, yellow, monoecious, rarely dioecious Female flowers usually solitary; ovary hairy, the hairs often apical on small soft papillae or aculei; ovules many, horizontal; perianth as in ♂ flower; staminodes often present, 3, subulate, inserted on the tube; disk annular, surrounding base of style, free from tube; stigma 3-lobed Male flowers solitary or in few-flowered sessile or pedunculate groups; receptacle-tube campanulate; lobes small, filiform: petals united below; stamens 3, 2 double 2-thecous, 1 single 1-thecous, shortly inserted about the middle of the tube; filaments and anthers free; connective apically produced; thecae triplicate; disk obconic or subglobose, basal, free from the tube

sex Male

Male flowers solitary or in few-flowered sessile or pedunculate groups; receptacle-tube campanulate; lobes small, filiform: petals united below; stamens 3, 2 double 2-thecous, 1 single 1-thecous, shortly inserted about the middle of the tube; filaments and anthers free; connective apically produced; thecae triplicate; disk obconic or subglobose, basal, free from the tube

sex Female

Female flowers usually solitary; ovary hairy, the hairs often apical on small soft papillae or aculei; ovules many, horizontal; perianth as in ♂ flower; staminodes often present, 3, subulate, inserted on the tube; disk annular, surrounding base of style, free from tube; stigma 3-lobed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit fleshy, usually rather firm-walled, indehiscent, smooth and glabrous or ± uniformly pubescent or more often with dense to scattered fleshy spines, pustules or tubercles each of which ends in a ± broad-based hyaline bristle or the basal remnants thereof, red, yellow, greenish or sometimes brownish, rarely maturing underground

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds small to medium-sized, lenticular, light-coloured, elliptic in outline and usually rather more pointed at the proximal end

Figures

Figs. 15, 16, (p. 101).

Cucurbitaceae, C. Jeffrey. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1967

Morphology General Habit

Prostrate herbs

Morphology Leaves

Leaves deeply palmately dissected

Morphology General Tendrils

Tendrils absent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers very small, yellow, monoecious Male flowers solitary or few-fasciculate, shortly pedicellate; receptacle-tube shallowly saucer-shaped; lobes small, dentiform; petals 5, ± rounded; stamens 3, 2 double 2-thecous, 1 single 1-thecous; filaments short, inserted near base of receptacle-tube, free; anthers lightly coherent in centre of flower; connective narrow; thecae arcuate, apically incurved; disk absent Female flowers solitary or paired, subsessile, sometimes coaxillary with ♂; ovary hairy, subglobose; ovules horizontal; perianth as in ♂ flower; staminodes 3, subulate, inserted near base of tube; disk absent; stigma 3-lobed

sex Male

Male flowers solitary or few-fasciculate, shortly pedicellate; receptacle-tube shallowly saucer-shaped; lobes small, dentiform; petals 5, ± rounded; stamens 3, 2 double 2-thecous, 1 single 1-thecous; filaments short, inserted near base of receptacle-tube, free; anthers lightly coherent in centre of flower; connective narrow; thecae arcuate, apically incurved; disk absent

sex Female

Female flowers solitary or paired, subsessile, sometimes coaxillary with ♂; ovary hairy, subglobose; ovules horizontal; perianth as in ♂ flower; staminodes 3, subulate, inserted near base of tube; disk absent; stigma 3-lobed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit small, baccate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds small, ovoid, smooth, obscurely margined

Figures

Fig. 22, p. 130.

Cucurbitaceae, C. Jeffrey. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1967

Morphology General Habit

Rather small climbers or trailers; stems herbaceous, annual or perennial, when perennial becoming ± woody when old

Morphology Leaves

Leaves simple, ± palmately lobed, rarely unlobed, petiolate

Morphology General Tendrils

Tendrils simple

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers small, yellow, monoecious or sometimes dioecious Female flowers solitary, pedicellate; ovary smooth, hairy; ovules many, horizontal; perianth as in ♂ flower; staminodes when present 3, subulate, inserted on receptacle-tube; disk annular, surrounding base of style, free from tube; stigma 3-lobed Male flowers solitary or more often in small fascicles, pedicellate; receptacle-tube campanulate; lobes small, subulate or filiform; petals united below; stamens 3, 2 double 2-thecous, 1 single 1-thecous, shortly inserted on the tube; anthers and filaments free; connective shortly produced apically; thecae straight, subparallel, sometimes apically hooked; disk elevated, convex, free from tube

sex Male

Male flowers solitary or more often in small fascicles, pedicellate; receptacle-tube campanulate; lobes small, subulate or filiform; petals united below; stamens 3, 2 double 2-thecous, 1 single 1-thecous, shortly inserted on the tube; anthers and filaments free; connective shortly produced apically; thecae straight, subparallel, sometimes apically hooked; disk elevated, convex, free from tube

sex Female

Female flowers solitary, pedicellate; ovary smooth, hairy; ovules many, horizontal; perianth as in ♂ flower; staminodes when present 3, subulate, inserted on receptacle-tube; disk annular, surrounding base of style, free from tube; stigma 3-lobed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit rather small, fleshy, thin- or sometimes rather firm-walled, smooth but always hairy and sometimes scabrid, ellipsoid, and sometimes beaked, or fusiform, indehiscent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds small, ovate or elliptic in outline, lenticular, compressed, not or only obscurely bordered

Figures

Fig. 18, p. 112.

Cucurbitaceae, C. Jeffrey. Flora Zambesiaca 4. 1978

Morphology General Habit

Rather small scandent or prostrate perennial herbs.

Morphology Stem

Stems herbaceous, annual or perennial, becoming somewhat woody when old.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves simple, petiolate.

Morphology General Tendrils

Tendrils simple.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Receptacle

Receptacle-tube campanulate, lobes small, subulate or filiform.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla-lobes 5, united below.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 3, 2 double two-thecous, 1 single one-thecous, shortly inserted on the receptacle-tube; anthers and filaments free; connective shortly produced; thecae straight, sub-parallel, sometimes apically incurved.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Disc

Disk elevated, convex, free from the receptacle-tube.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Female flowers solitary, pedicellate; ovary shortly hirsute or hispid; ovules many, horizontal; perianth as in male flower; disk annular, surrounding base of style, free from the receptacle-tube; stigma 3-lobed. Male flowers solitary or in small fascicles, pedicellate. Flowers small, yellow, monoecious or dioecious.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit rather small, fleshy, thin-walled or firm-walled, smooth but always ± hirsute or scabrid, ellipsoid or fusiform, sometimes rostrate, indehiscent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds small, ovate or elliptic in outline, compressed, whitish, not or obscurely bordered.

Cucurbitaceae, C. Jeffrey. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1967

Morphology General Habit

Medium-sized climbers; stems herbaceous, hispid, becoming when old somewhat thickened, woody and ± rough-barked at the base

Morphology Leaves

Leaves simple, ovate-cordate, triangular or hastate, palmately lobed, petiolate

Morphology General Tendrils

Tendrils simple

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers very small, yellow, monoecious Male flowers in sessile clusters, subsessile or shortly pedicellate; receptacle-tube campanulate, hispid-hairy outside; lobes small, subulate or triangular-dentiform; petals united below; stamens 3, 2 double 2-thecous, 1 single 1-thecous, inserted on the tube; anthers and filaments free; connective shortly produced apically into a rather slender appendage; thecae straight or slightly arcuate; disk elevated, free from the receptacle-tube Female flowers in sessile clusters, sometimes solitary, subsessile, sometimes coaxillary with ♂; ovary ellipsoid or globose, smooth, ± hispid-hairy; ovules several, horizontal; perianth as in ♂ flower; staminodes when present 3, subulate, inserted on receptacle-tube; disk annular, surrounding base of style, free from tube; stigma 3-lobed

sex Male

Male flowers in sessile clusters, subsessile or shortly pedicellate; receptacle-tube campanulate, hispid-hairy outside; lobes small, subulate or triangular-dentiform; petals united below; stamens 3, 2 double 2-thecous, 1 single 1-thecous, inserted on the tube; anthers and filaments free; connective shortly produced apically into a rather slender appendage; thecae straight or slightly arcuate; disk elevated, free from the receptacle-tube

sex Female

Female flowers in sessile clusters, sometimes solitary, subsessile, sometimes coaxillary with ♂; ovary ellipsoid or globose, smooth, ± hispid-hairy; ovules several, horizontal; perianth as in ♂ flower; staminodes when present 3, subulate, inserted on receptacle-tube; disk annular, surrounding base of style, free from tube; stigma 3-lobed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruits subsessile in axillary clusters or sometimes solitary, small, baccate, ellipsoid or globose, ± hispid-hairy when young, red and practically glabrous when ripe, smooth

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds small, elliptic in outline, rather tumid, with prominent thick raised margins and flat or slightly convex smooth or scrobiculate disk

Figures

Fig. 19, p. 116.

Cucurbitaceae, C. Jeffrey. Flora Zambesiaca 4. 1978

Morphology General Habit

Scandent herbs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves simple, petiolate.

Morphology General Tendrils

Tendrils simple.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers very small, monoecious. Female flowers in sessile fascicles, rarely solitary, subsessile or shortly pedicellate; ovary ellipsoid or globose, smooth, ± setose; ovules numerous, horizontal; perianth as in male flower; staminodes 3, subulate, inserted on the receptacle-tube; disk annular, surrounding base of style; stigma 3-lobed. Male flowers in sessile fascicles, shortly pedicellate. Receptacle-tube obconic-campanulate, lobes small, narrow, dentiform or subulate. Corolla-lobes 5, united below. Stamens 3, two double 2-thecous, one single 1-thecous; filaments short, inserted on the receptacle-tube, free; connective shortly produced; thecae straight.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Disc

Disk basal, subglobose, free from the receptacle-tube.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruits subsessile in axillary fascicles, sometimes solitary, small, baccate, ellipsoid or globose, smooth, red and usually glabrous when mature.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds elliptic in outline, rather tumid, with prominent margins and flat or convex disk, usually ± verrucose or scrobiculate.