Echinocystis

Echinocystis lobata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Cucurbitales
Family:	Cucurbitaceae
Subfamily:	Cucurbitoideae
Tribe:	Sicyeae
Subtribe:	Cyclantherinae
Genus:	Echinocystis; Torr. & A.Gray
Species:	E. lobata
Binomial name
	Echinocystis lobata; (Michx.) Torr. & A. Gray
Synonyms
	Hexameria Torr. & A.Gray; Micrampelis Raf.;

Echinocystis is a monotypic genus in the gourd/melon/cucumber family Cucurbitaceae, with the sole species Echinocystis lobata, commonly called wild cucumber, prickly cucumber, or balsam apple.

Distribution

Echinocystis lobata is an annual vine native across North America. It is found in forty U.S. states (excluding only California, Nevada, Hawaii, and Alaska; and most of the far Southeastern states); and nine Canadian provinces.

Vernacular nomenclature

"Wild cucumber" is a very common vernacular name for two different plants:

the annual plant, native to northern states and Canada — "Echinocystis lobata"
the perennial plant, native to southern California and Baja California (Mexico) — "Marah" species.

Some authors include the genus Marah (manroots) within the genus Echinocystis.

References

External links

USDA Species Information
Profile: Wild Cucumber (Echinocystis lobata) Photos, Drawings, Text. (Wild Plants of Winnipeg from Nature Manitoba)
Ontario Wildflowers
Media related to Echinocystis at Wikimedia Commons
Data related to Echinocystis at Wikispecies

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