2. Cucumis prophetarum Linn., Cent. 1:32. 1755. Cogn., l.c. 495; Clarke, l.c. 619; Chakravarty, l.c. 109; C. Jeffrey in Kew Bull. 15:350. 1962; in Milne-Redhead and Polhill, Fl. Trop. East Africa (Cucurbitaceae) 103. 1967; Gandhi, l.c. 176; R.R. Stewart, l.c.; C. Jeffrey, l.c. 794.
English: Wild cucumber.
Vern.: Kharchvit & Kharindroyan.
S. NAZIMUDDIN AND S. SHAHARYAR H. NAQVI
A prostrate or climbing perennial herb; stem slender, sulcate, hispid and rough, hairs whitish. Tendrils simple and short, scabrid. Leaves ovate-orbicular, 2-4 cm long. cordate-truncate at base, 3-(-5)-lobed, lobes obtuse or subacute, margin dentate or lobulate, hispid-scabrid on both surfaces; petiole 1-4 cm long, densely scabrid with white hairs. Male flowers in fascicles of 2-3 flowers, rarely solitary; peduncle 5-10 mm long, hispid. Calyx-tube 3-5 mm long, hispid, lobes linear, spreading, c. 1.5 mm long. Corolla ± villous, 3-5 mm long, lobes ovate-oblong, ± mucronate. Anthers oblong 2-5 mm long. Female flowers solitary, peduncle 2-3 cm long, calyx and corolla as in male. Ovary muricate. Fruit ovoid or subglobose, puberulous, softly echinate, longitudinally striped green and white, yellow when ripe, 3-4 x 2-3 cm. Seeds pale ashy, c. 4 x 2 mm, ± oblong or ellipsoid.
Fl. Per.: June-July.
Holotype: Palestine, Hasselquist (LINN, 1152/42).
Distribution: Paleotropic in distribution, throughout North Africa, Arabia to India and Pakistan. In Pakistan it is mainly distributed in Sind and Baluchistan.
