What is the scientific name of the squirting cucumber?

Ecballium elateriumSquirting cucumber / Scientific name

squirting cucumber, (Ecballium elaterium), trailing herbaceous plant in the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae). The plant is native to the Mediterranean region but has been introduced to other areas as a garden curiosity for its distinctive explosive fruits.

Is Ecballium edible?

There are no edible uses listed for Ecballium elaterium.

Why did my cucumber explode?

Squirting or exploding cucumber plants belong to the family Cucurbitaceae. Its Latin name Ecballium elaterium is from the Greek ‘ekballein,’ meaning to throw out and refers to the ejection of the seeds from the fruit when it ripens.

How are squirting cucumber seed dispersal?

The squirting cucumber is so-called because of its unusual form of rapid plant movement. When ripe, the fruits pop off the end of their stems. They then forcibly eject their mucilage-covered seeds in an explosive stream. This unusual adaptation is thought to aid in seed dispersal.

Are there poisonous cucumbers?

As its name suggests, wild cucumber, or manroot (Marah macrocarpa), is a relative of the garden cucumber, as well as watermelon and squash. Unlike its relatives, all parts of the wild cucumber plant are toxic to some degree.

Is Cucurbitacin toxic?

When eaten in small amounts, cucurbitacins impart a slightly bitter taste and are not harmful. In larger amounts, however, the toxin may produce a strongly bitter taste and cause stomach cramps, vomiting and diarrhea.

Are all cucumbers edible?

Edibility and culinary use Wild cucumber fruits act solely as a seed container where seeds will grow and ripen. In fact, only the roots of this plant are considered edible.

Can flowers explode?

Violets, poisonous squirting cucumbers, and touch-me-nots or Impatiens capensis (not to be confused with these touch-me-nots) have an effective way of dispersing their seeds: They burst! The forceful ejection sends the seeds flying as far away as possible from the original plant.

Can Zucchini be poisonous?

Raw zucchini is generally safe to eat, but in some cases, it may be extremely bitter. This indicates that it’s high in cucurbitacins, which are compounds that can be toxic. However, cucurbitacin poisoning is very unlikely from commercial varieties.

Are there red cucumbers?

Red Hmong or Hmong Red cucumbers originated in southeast Asia among the Hmong people of Vietnam, Cambodia, Burma, and Laos. The cucumbers are initially a pale green and morph to a golden orange as they mature. They rarely attain the full deep red color that is shown in some images.

Why does my cucumber taste like poison?

One of the reasons that makes a cucumber bitter is that it belongs to the cucurbitaceous family. These plants naturally produce chemicals known as cucurbitacins, which are the main cause of making the cucumber bitter. The presence of large amount of cucurbitacins can make a person sick.

Is it okay to eat a bitter cucumber?

With some careful preparation, a slightly bitter cucumber is safe to eat, and you can use different techniques such as adding seasonings to hide the bitter flavor. However, if your cucumber tastes very bitter, it is safer to discard it and use a different one instead.

Are pickles fruit?

Technically, pickles may be considered both a fruit and a vegetable. While they are made from cucumbers, which are a vegetable, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled them a “fruit of the vine” because of their seeds.

Why is my cucumber white?

Excessive moisture results in white cucumbers because water leaches nutrients from the soil. Without the nutrients needed for proper development, cucumbers turn pale or white.

What is a helicopter seed?

Samara fruit, also known as helicopter seeds, are beloved by many playful gardeners and nature lovers. These papery winged seeds can make for good toys and snacks. A samara is a type of dry fruit, not a fleshy fruit like an apple or cherry.

Is Sand sea cucumber poop?

Sea cucumbers — those chubby tubes of flesh that scooch around the ocean floor — have a very special talent: The tubular creatures are elite poopers, collectively expelling more than 70,000 tons (64,000 metric tons) of sandy poop out of their bottoms each year.

Do sea cucumbers have eyes?

They have no faces, or even eyes, just a digestive tract with a hole at either end housed in a body that resembles a well-formed turd.

What is Ecballium?

Ecballium is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cucurbitaceae containing a single species, Ecballium elaterium, also called the squirting cucumber or exploding cucumber (but not to be confused with Cyclanthera brachystachya ).

What is the scientific name for elaterium?

A.Rich. Elaterium Mill. Ecballium is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cucurbitaceae containing a single species, Ecballium elaterium, also called the squirting cucumber or exploding cucumber (not the same plant as Cyclanthera brachystachya ).

How do Ecballium elaterium release seeds?

The tissue in the fruit of the Ecballium elaterium that surrounds the seeds is thin walled, facilitating the propulsive release of seeds by “squirting”. Pressure to expel the seeds is created by the increased concentration of glucoside and elaterinidin in low volumes of cytoplasm, leading to an osmotic pressure of up to 27 atms.