West Indian Gherkin
Cucumis anguria

Family: Cucurbitaceae

What it is like

A pumpkin family plant. It is a trailing or climbing herb. It grows 3 m long. It is rough to touch. The leaves are broadly oval and 4-10 cm long by 5-11 cm wide. They have 3-5 deep lobes. The leaves have fine teeth along the edge. It has separate male and female flowers on the same plant. There are 1-10 male flowers with stalks 4-30 mm long. The female flowers occur singly. The stalks are 1-10 cm long. The fruit are broadly oblong and 4-7 cm long. They are covered with soft curved prickles. They ripen to yellow-green with darker bands along them. The seed are 4-6 mm long. The flesh is firm and white.

There are about 25 Cucumis species. There is an original bitter kind growing wild in Africa.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. An edible variety is cultivated in tropical America. It grows between 200-1,500 m above sea level. It can grow in arid places. It suits hardiness zones 9-12.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Barbados, Botswana, Brazil, Britain, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Caribbean, Cayman Islands, Central Africa, Central America, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, East Africa, Ecuador, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Europe, France, Guiana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guianas, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Madagascar, Malawi, Marquesas, Martinique, Mauritius, Mexico, Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Niue, Norfolk Island, North America, Pacific, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, St Lucia, St. Vincent and Grenadines, Suriname, Swaziland, Tanzania, USA, Venezuela, West Africa, West Indies, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The young prickly fruit are peeled and eaten raw. They are also boiled and served with hot pepper sauce. They can be added to soups or made into pickles. Some kinds have sweet fruit. The young leaves are eaten cooked. The fruit can be dried and stored after the seeds are removed They can store for a year. Caution: Many kinds in Africa are bitter.

It is a commercially cultivated vegetable.

Edible parts

Fruit, seeds, leaves, vegetable

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed.

Its other names

Local names

Bur cucumber, Cassongo, Chikanyanga, Chikopa, Chipokolo, Cocombro, Goareberry gourd, Ingolowe, Jerusalem cucumber, Kasongwe, Konmonm kouli, Muchacha, Muhawa, Pepineto, Pepino de monte, Pepino silvestre, Ti konkonm

Synonyms

Cucumis longipes Hook. f.; Cucumis macrocarpus Wender; Cucumis anguria L. subsp. jamaicensis Gand.; Cucumis angurioides M. Roem.; Cucumis arada L. ex Naudin & Muller; Cucumis echinatus Moench; Cucumis erinaceus Naudin ex Huber; Cucumis parviflorus Salisb.; Cucumis anguria L. subsp. cubensis Gand.;