Cucurbitaceae-Cucumber family
The cucumber family, cucurbitaceae, consists of 120 genera and 775 species around the globe.
Description of the family:
Climbing or prostrate, annual or perennial, monoecious or dioecious, herbs, less often woody lianes, rarely erect herbs without tendrils. Leaves alternate, palmately veined and often palmately lobed. Tendrils usually 1 at each node, rarely 0. Flowers unisexual, epigynous, axillary. Glandular bract-like “probracts” sometimes present at base of peduncles. Petals usually 5, free or united; corolla usually actinomorphic. Stamens basically 5 but commonly modified; staminodes often present in female flowers. Ovary inferior, 1(-3)-locular. Style with 2 or 3 lobes or styles 3. Fruit a capsule, berry or hard-shelled pepo.
Worldwide:
120 genera and 775 species, mainly in tropical and warm areas, with a few temperate species.
Zimbabwe:
21 genera and 54 taxa.
- Acanthosicyos Welw. ex Hook. f.
- Citrullus Schrad. ex Eckl. & Zeyh.
- Coccinia Wight & Arn.
- Corallocarpus Welw. ex Hook. f.
- Ctenolepis Hook. f.
- Cucumella Chiov.
- Cucumis L.
- Cyclantheropsis Harms
- Diplocyclos (Endl.) Post. & Kuntze
- Eureiandra Hook. f.
- Kedrostis Medik.
- Lagenaria Ser.
- Luffa Mill.
- Momordica L.
- Mukia Arn.
- Oreosyce Hook. f.
- Peponium Engl.
- Raphidiocystis Hook. f.
- Telfairia Hook.
- Trochomeria Hook. f.
- Zehneria Endl.
