Ecballium elaterium

Taxobox| name = Squirting Cucumber

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image_caption=A fruit of the squirting cucumber
image_width=200px
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Cucurbitales
familia = Cucurbitaceae
genus = "Ecballium"
species = "E. elaterium"
binomial = "Ecballium elaterium"
binomial_authority = (L.) A.Rich.

"Ecballium elaterium", also called the squirting cucumber or exploding cucumber, is a plant in the cucumber family. It gets its unusual name from the fact that, when ripe, it squirts a stream of mucilaginous liquid containing its seeds, which can be seen with the naked eye. It is thus considered to have rapid plant movement.

It is native to Europe, northern Africa, and temperate areas of Asia.cite web | url = http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?14775 | title = Ecballium elaterium (L.) A. Rich. | publisher = Germplasm Resources Information Network] It is grown as an ornamental plant elsewhere, and in some places it has naturalized. [cite web | url = http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=ECEL | title = Ecballium elaterium (L.) A. Rich. | work = USDA PLANTS ]

This plant, and especially its fruit, is poisonous. In the ancient world it saw use as an abortifacient.

References

External links

* [http://www.e-pelion.com/flora_cucurbitaceae_eelaterium.html Information on "Ecballium elaterium"]
* [http://www.maltawildplants.com/CUCU/Ecballium_elaterium.php Comprehensive profile for "Ecballium elaterium"]