Family: Cucurbitaceae
Citrullus colocynthis
Citation:
Schrader, Linnaea 12:414 (1838). Colocynth.
Synonymy: Cucumis colocynthis L., Sp. Pl. 1011 (1753).
Common name: None
Description:
Trailing or climbing herb with a perennial rootstock producing annual stems; stems to 3 m long, scabrid; tendrils simple or 2-branched; leaves with petioles 1-6 cm long, scabrid; lamina ovate in outline, 2-10 x 2-7 cm, cordate, palmately 3-5-lobed; lobes ovate, pinnately lobulate, obtuse to apiculate, scabrid on both surfaces.
Male flowers on peduncles 8-20 mm long; bract 1.5-2 mm long; calyx lobes lanceolate, 2-4 mm long; corolla lobes ovate, 6-8 mm long; female flowers on peduncles 10-45 mm long; ovary 7-9 mm long.
Fruit 5-12 cm diam., glabrous, green irregularly mottled or striped yellow to all yellow; seeds 5-9 mm long, smooth, dull, yellow-brown.
Published illustration:
Telford & Marsden in Jessop (1981) Flora of central Australia, fig. 260D-F.
Distribution:
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S.Aust.: NW, LE, GT, FR, EA, EP, MU. all mainland States. native to northern Africa and south-western Asia.
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Conservation status:
naturalised
Flowering time: summer.
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SA Distribution Map based
on current data relating to
specimens held in the
State Herbarium of South Australia
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Biology:
No text
Author:
Not yet available
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