Momordica elaterium Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 2: 1010. 1753

Stems 15–80 cm. Leaves long-petiolate; blade bicolor, 4–10 cm, fleshy, abaxially lighter because of densely hirsute to hirsutulous vestiture. Staminate flowers 1 or 2–8 in racemes 5–35 cm. Pistillate flowers: peduncles erect, sharply recurved-nodding at apex so that mature fruit is pendent, 1–8 cm. Corollas (14–)18–20 mm diam.; petals 8–16 mm (staminate) or 6–14 mm (pistillate). Fruits 4–5.5 cm, pendulous on peduncles 1–8 cm. Seeds 4–5 mm. 2n = 18, 24.

Flowering Jun–Aug. Disturbed sites; 20–100 m; introduced; Ala., N.Y., Pa.; e, se, sw Europe; w Asia; n Africa; introduced also in w Europe (England), Australia.

Some, perhaps all, collections of Ecballium from New York and Pennsylvania may represent garden curiosities rather than escaped or established populations.