PUBLISHED IN: Kew Bull. 15: 346. 1962.

TYPE: South Africa, Transvaal, Potchefstroom, Mooi R., Burke 488 (K).

ETYMOLOGY: named after the French botanist Charles Victor Naudin (1815–1899).

BASIONYM: Cucumis naudinianus Sond.

SYNONYMY: Citrullus naudinianus (Sond.) Hook. f.
     Colocynthis naudinianus (Sond.) Kuntze

INFRASPECIFIC TAXA:

VERNACULAR NAME: gemsbok cucumber

OTHER VERNACULAR NAMES: kazungula, gemsbokkomkommer
     Mozambique: chiacaiane, chiracarane, chirakarana

CULTIVARS:

DESCRIPTION: Generally underground caudex.

CHROMOSOME NUMBER:

DISTRIBUTION: Kalahari.

ECOLOGY:

EDIBLE USE:

MEDICINAL USE:

OTHER USE:

ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE: Important food and water source.

CULTIVATION:

SEEDS AVAILABLE FROM:

LITERATURE: Flora Zambesiaca 1960. London: Crown Agents for Overseas Governments and Administrations. Edited by A.W. Exell et al.
     Arnold, T.H., Wells, M.J. and Wehmeyer, A.S. 1985. Khoisan food plants: taxa with potential for future economic exploitation. In Wickens, G.E., Goodin, J.R. and Field, D.V., eds. Plants for arid lands. London, U.K.: Unwin Hyman. Pp. 69–86. Proceedings of the Kew International Conference on Economic Plants for Arid Lands, 23–27 July 1984, held in the Jodrell Laboratory, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, England.
     Arnold, T.H. and de Wet, B.C., eds. 1993. Plants of Southern Africa: names and distribution. Pretoria, South Africa: National Botanical Institute. iv, 825p.
     Buffenstein, R. and S. Yahav. 1995. Fiber utilization by Kalahari dwelling subterranean damara mole rats (Cryptomys damarensis) when fed their natural diet of Gemsbok cucumber (Acanthosicyos naudinianus). Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 109A: 431–436.
     Fox, F.W. and Norwood Young, M.E. 1982. Food from the veld. Edible wild plants of Southern Africa. Johannesburg and Cape Town: Delta. 399p.
     Gibbs Russell, G. E, W. G. Welman, E. Reitief, K. L. Immelman, G. Germishuizen, B. J. Pienaar, M. van Wyk, and A. Nicholas (PRECIS). 1987. List of species of southern African plants. Memoirs of the Botanical Survey of South Africa. 2(1–2): 1–152(pt. 1), 1–270(pt. 2).
     Jeffrey, C. 1979. The economic potential of some Cucurbitaceae and Compositae of tropical Africa. In Kunkel G., ed. Taxonomic aspects of African economic botany. Proceedings of the 9th Plenary Meeting of AETFAT, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 18–23 March 1978. Islas Canarias, Spain: Excmo-Ayuntamiento de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Pp. 35–38.
     Keith, M.E. and Renew, R. 1975. Notes on some edible wild plants found in the Kalahari. Koedoe 18: 1–12.
     Rodin, R.J. 1985. Ethnobotany of the Kwanyama Ovambos. St. Louis, U.S.A.: Missouri Botanic Gardens. 169p.
     Story, R. 1958. Some plants used by the Bushmen in obtaining food and water. Pretoria: Department of Agriculture, Division of Botany. 115p. Mem. Botanical Survey of South Africa No. 30.
     Tanaka, J. 1969. The ecology and social structure of central Kalahari bushmen. A preliminary report. Kyoto Univ. Afr. Studies 3: 1–26.

INTERNET: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/htbin-post/Entrez/query?uid=7956122&form=6&db=m&Dopt=b
     http://www.kew.org/ceb/sepasal/acantho.htm