Alternative names: Not Applicable

Description:
Annual or perennial herbs, stems usually trailing or climbing by tendrils which are stipular in position (tendrils absent in Ecballium); leaves alternate, usually simple, lobed.

Flowers usually unisexual, axillary, solitary or in racemes or fascicles; perianth lobes inserted on a cup-shaped, obconic or campanulate hypanthium; calyx lobes 5; corolla of 5 free or united petals, usually yellow; male flowers with stamens 5, free (not in S.Aust.) in subfamily Zanonoideae usually united into 3 in subfamily Cucurbitoideae; when united into 3 anthers 2 2-locular, and 1 1-locular; locules straight, curved or flexuose female flowers with ovary inferior, 1-3-celled; placentation usually parietal; ovules 1 to many; staminodes sometimes present.

Fruit usually a fleshy berry or pepo, usually indehiscent (rupturing irregularly in Momordica; seeds actively discharged in Ecballium) rarely (not in S.Aust.) a capsule; seeds usually large, endosperm absent.

Distribution:  At least 120 genera and over 800 species. In Australia there are 18 genera and 44 species of which 13 genera and 35 species are native. (Telford (1982) Fl. Aust. 8:158-198.)

Biology: No text

Key to Genera:

1. Flowers in fascicles (female flowers sometimes solitary)
2. Male flowers with anthers straight or slightly curved	MUKIA 5.
2. Male flowers with anthers sinuous	CUCUMIS 2.
1. Flowers solitary
3. Tendrils absent	ECBALLIUM 3.
3. Tendrils present
4. Male flowers subtended by a petaloid bract; seeds with ornamented margins	MOMORDICA 4.
4. Male flowers not subtended by a petaloid bract; seeds smooth
5. Fruit less than 5 cm diam.; anthers with apical appendages	CUCUMIS 2.
5. Fruit more than 5 cm diam.; anthers lacking apical appendages	CITRULLUS 1.

Author: Prepared by I. R. H. Telford