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Squirting cucumber, primorska štrcalica

Ecballium elaterium

Photo by Jopy
Published on Project Noah
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42.7505, 16.88

Field Notes

Description:

Ecballium elaterium, also called the squirting cucumber or exploding cucumber, is a plant in the cucumber family. It gets its unusual name from the fact that, when ripe, it squirts a stream of mucilaginous liquid containing its seeds, which can be seen with the naked eye. It is thus considered to have rapid plant movement.

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (3)

Of course I saw them exploded, seeds fly up few neters. They are not edible, whole plant is poisonous. If the skin comes into contact with the secretion from the fruit, it can cause rashes...
Very interesting! Have you seen them exploded? I sure want to! Are the cucumbers edible?
Photographed
PublishedMarch 24, 2013

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