Squirting cucumber
Ecballium elaterium

Family: Cucurbitaceae

What it is like

A creeping herb. The roots are robust. It can re-grow from the roots. The leaf stalk is 5-15 cm long. The leaves are heart shaped. They are 8-20 cm long by 6-15 cm wide. There are white hairs underneath. The male flowers occur in a group and female flowers occur singly. They are yellow. The fruit is oval or oblong and 4-5 cm long by 2-3 cm wide.

The seed oil is used as medicine.

Where it is found

In is a Mediterranean or temperate plant. In western China it grows on dry mountain slopes and grasslands.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Balkans, Britain, Central Asia, China, Iran, Macedonia, Mediterranean, Middle East, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Tasmania, Tunisia

How it is used for food

Caution:

It is cultivated.

Edible parts

Seeds - oil, caution, medicine

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Navadni štrkavec

Synonyms

Bryonia elaterium (L.) E. H. L. Krause; Ecballium agreste Rchb.; Ecballium officinale T. Nees; Ecballium officinarum Rich. ex M. Roem; Ecballium purgans Schrd.; Elaterium cordifolium Moench; Momordica aspera Lam.; Momordica ecirrhata Stokes; Momordica elastica Salisb.; Momordica elaterium L.;