PUBLISHED IN: Linnaea 12: 414. 1838.

TYPE: Brazil, Sello; Maldonado, Sello s.n., Tweedie s.n.

ETYMOLOGY:

BASIONYM: Cucumis colocynthis L., Species Plantarum 1011. 1753.

SYNONYMY: Colocynthis vulgaris Schrad., Index Seminum [Goettingen] 2. 1833.

INFRASPECIFIC TAXA: Citrullus colocynthis subsp. insipidus (Pang.) Fursa, Bot. Zhurn., 57 (1): 39. 1972.
     Citrullus colocynthis subsp. stenotomus (Pang.) Fursa, Bot. Zhurn., 57 (1): 39. 1972.

VERNACULAR NAMES: colocynth

OTHER VERNACULAR NAMES: bitter apple, vine of Sodom, Indian wild gourd, Indian bitter apple, bitter cucumber
     Arabic: faqqu'a, handal, handhal, dellaa oued, hadaj
     French: coloquinte
     Hebrew: paqqu'a
     India: tumbi, indravaruni, vishala, makal
     Yoruba: bara, bara akuku

TYPE SPECIMEN:

CULTIVARS:

DESCRIPTION: Perennial; caudiciform. Fruit round, 5–8 cm in diameter, intensely bitter.

CHROMOSOME NUMBER: n = 11.

DISTRIBUTION: Cultivated and naturalized in North Africa and India.

ECOLOGY: sand dunes; drought hardy

EDIBLE USE:

MEDICINAL USE: Dried unripe fruit pulp constutes the drug 'colocynth', which is a very strong laxative. Also used as a antirheumatic, anthelminthic, and as a remedy for skin infection. Seeds contain 30–34% pale yellow oil, which contain an alkaloid, a glucoside and a saponin. Roots have purgative properties and are used in jaundice, rheumatism and urinary diseases.

OTHER USE: Rodent control.

ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE: Cultivated since time of the Assyrians.

CONSERVATION:

CULTIVATION PRACTICES:

SEEDS AVAILABLE FROM:

LITERATURE: Fernandes, R. B. 1976. Cucurbitaceae de Cabo Verde. Garcia de Orta, Série de Botânica. 3(1): 1–14.
     Keraudren, M. 1966. Cucurbitacees. Flore de Madagascar et des Comores 185: 1–165.
     Martinez Crovetto. 1965. Cucurbitaceae in A. Cabrera. Flora de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. 4(5): 390–407.

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