Bur cucumber, Angle cucumber
Sicyos angulatus

Family: Cucurbitaceae

What it is like

A pumpkin family plant. It is a long slender climber. The stems are weak. The leaves are heart shaped or divided like fingers on a hand. They are thin textured and give off a bad smell if touched. The flowers are separately male and female but in the axil of the same leaf on separate spikes. The female flowers are in short dense clusters. The fruit are oval and 1 cm long. They are densely covered with prickles.

There are about 50 Sicyos species.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows on stream banks and the edges of forests.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, China, Europe, France, Korea, New Zealand, North America, Tasmania, USA

How it is used for food

The leaves are boiled as a green vegetable. The fruit is used as a vegetable.

Edible parts

Fruit, leaves

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

See Sicyos australis;