Cucumis dipsaceus
Ehrenb. ex Spach
Cucurbitaceae
Common Name: Hedgehog Cucumber
General Information
Hedgehog cucumber is a fibrous-rooted annual plant producing stems up to 2 metres long that scramble over the ground or climb into other plants, supporting themselves by means of tendrils[
648- Title
- Contributions from the United States National Herbarium. Vol. 51
- Publication
-
- Author
- Acevedo-Rodríguez P. (Editor)
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Institution; Washington.
- Year
- 2005
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A treatment of the climbing plants of Puerto Rico. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild as a local source of food and medicine. It is sold in local markets[
398- Title
- Edible Wild Plants of Tanzania
- Publication
-
- Author
- Ruffo, C.K.: Birnie, A. & Tengnas, B.
- Publisher
- Regional Land Management Unit; Nairobi.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
- 9966-896-60-0
- Description
- A very well presented, simple guide to growing and utilizing wild food plants in Tanzania, with line drawings of each plant, a description, habitat and range, non-food as well as food uses, plus basic information on growing the plants.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
500- Title
- Flora of Somalia
- Publication
-
- Author
- Thulin M. (Editor)
- Publisher
- Kew Publishing, London.
- Year
- 1993
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Detailed information on the plants of the region, often adding notes on the plants uses.
Range
East tropical Africa - Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania; Arabian Peninsula - Yemen.
Habitat
Deciduous Acacia woodland, wooded grassland and Acacia- Commiphora bushland, also in cultivated places; at elevations from 20 - 2,000 metres[
328- Title
- African Flowering Plants Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php
- Publisher
- Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques.
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map.
].
Properties
| Weed Potential | Yes |
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Habit | Annual Climber |
| Height | 2.00 m |
| Pollinators | Bees, Insects |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
A plant of drier areas in the lowland tropics, ascending to elevations up to 2,000 metres.
Prefers a sunny position in a well-drained soil.
The plant has become widely naturalized in the tropics and is considered to be invasive in some areas[
].
Edible Uses
Seeds - cooked[
301- Title
- Cornucopia II
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications, California.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-2-5
- Description
- The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
]. The pale brown seeds are 3 - 5mm long[
].
Leaves[
301- Title
- Cornucopia II
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications, California.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-2-5
- Description
- The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
]. The tender leaves and young shoots are chopped, cooked, coconut milk or groundnut paste is added and the dish is served with a staple[
398- Title
- Edible Wild Plants of Tanzania
- Publication
-
- Author
- Ruffo, C.K.: Birnie, A. & Tengnas, B.
- Publisher
- Regional Land Management Unit; Nairobi.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
- 9966-896-60-0
- Description
- A very well presented, simple guide to growing and utilizing wild food plants in Tanzania, with line drawings of each plant, a description, habitat and range, non-food as well as food uses, plus basic information on growing the plants.
]. The tender leaves can also be dried in the sun and then pounded into powder. The powder is then soaked in hot water, boiled and stirred. The vegetable is then ready for eating with a staple[
398- Title
- Edible Wild Plants of Tanzania
- Publication
-
- Author
- Ruffo, C.K.: Birnie, A. & Tengnas, B.
- Publisher
- Regional Land Management Unit; Nairobi.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
- 9966-896-60-0
- Description
- A very well presented, simple guide to growing and utilizing wild food plants in Tanzania, with line drawings of each plant, a description, habitat and range, non-food as well as food uses, plus basic information on growing the plants.
].
Fruit[
301- Title
- Cornucopia II
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications, California.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-2-5
- Description
- The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
]. The yellow, subglobose to ellipsoid fruit is densely and softly spiny or bristly, about 20 - 70mm long and 15 - 35mm in diameter[
].
Medicinal
Leaves and roots are pounded and used as a poultice to treat wounds[
398- Title
- Edible Wild Plants of Tanzania
- Publication
-
- Author
- Ruffo, C.K.: Birnie, A. & Tengnas, B.
- Publisher
- Regional Land Management Unit; Nairobi.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
- 9966-896-60-0
- Description
- A very well presented, simple guide to growing and utilizing wild food plants in Tanzania, with line drawings of each plant, a description, habitat and range, non-food as well as food uses, plus basic information on growing the plants.
].
The juice from the fruits is used as an antidote for poisoning, but it has to be supplemented by drinking fresh milk[
398- Title
- Edible Wild Plants of Tanzania
- Publication
-
- Author
- Ruffo, C.K.: Birnie, A. & Tengnas, B.
- Publisher
- Regional Land Management Unit; Nairobi.
- Year
- 2002
- ISBN
- 9966-896-60-0
- Description
- A very well presented, simple guide to growing and utilizing wild food plants in Tanzania, with line drawings of each plant, a description, habitat and range, non-food as well as food uses, plus basic information on growing the plants.
].
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
