View source for Ecballium

{{Treatment/ID
|accepted_name=Ecballium
|accepted_authority=A. Richard in J. B. Bory de Saint-Vincent et al.
|publications={{Treatment/Publication
|title=in J. B. Bory de Saint-Vincent et al., Dict. Class. Hist. Nat.
|place=6: 19. 1824
|year=1824
}}
|common_names=Squirting or exploding cucumber
|special_status={{Treatment/ID/Special_status
|code=I
|label=Introduced
}}
|basionyms=
|synonyms=
|hierarchy=Cucurbitaceae;Ecballium
|hierarchy_nav=<div class="higher-taxa"><div class="higher-taxon"><small>family</small>[[Cucurbitaceae]]</div><div class="higher-taxon"><small>genus</small>[[Ecballium]]</div></div>
|etymology=Greek ekballein, to throw or cast out, alluding to seed discharge
|volume=Volume 6
|mention_page=page 5, 11
|treatment_page=page 10
}}<!--

--><span class="statement" id="st-d0_s0" data-properties="whole_organism duration;whole_organism reproduction;whole_organism growth form or orientation;whole_organism orientation;whole_organism growth form"><b>Plants </b>perennial, monoecious, prostrate, trailing;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s1" data-properties="stem duration;stem pubescence">stems annual, villous-hirsute;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s2" data-properties="root architecture">roots tuberous;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s3" data-properties="tendril presence">tendrils absent.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s4" data-properties="blade shape;blade shape;base shape;margin shape;margin shape;margin coloration;abaxial surface coloration;surface architecture"><b>Leaves:</b> blade triangular to hastate or ovate-triangular, unlobed, base cordate, margins crenate to crenate-dentate, usually prominently sinuate-undulate or sinuate-crisped, appearing whitish because of light-colored abaxial surfaces, surfaces eglandular.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s5" data-properties="flower architecture;flower quantity;flower quantity"><b>Inflorescences:</b> staminate flowers 1 or 2–8 in axillary racemes;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s6" data-properties="flower architecture;flower architecture or arrangement or growth form;peduncle orientation">pistillate flowers solitary, from same or different axils as staminate, peduncles recurved-nodding in fruit;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s7" data-properties="bract presence">bracts absent.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s8" data-properties="hypanthium shape"><b>Flowers:</b> hypanthium broadly campanulate;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s9" data-properties="sepal quantity;sepal shape">sepals 5, lanceolate;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s10" data-properties="petal quantity;petal fusion;petal coloration;petal coloration;petal shape;petal shape;petal some measurement;petal pubescence;center coloration;corolla shape">petals 5, distinct nearly to base, [cream] pale-yellow or white with [darker and brighter] yellow [greenish] center, oblong-ovate, abruptly acuminate apically, 6–16 mm, puberulent, corolla campanulate to rotate-campanulate.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s11" data-properties="flower architecture;stamen quantity;stamen quantity;stamen fusion;stamen fusion;pair quantity;stamen quantity"><b>Staminate </b>flowers: stamens 5, 2 connate in pairs, 1 distinct, appearing as 3 stamens;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s12" data-properties="flower architecture;filament fusion">filaments inserted near hypanthium rim, distinct;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s13" data-properties="flower architecture;theca fusion;theca course or shape;connective width">thecae distinct, sigmoid, connective broadened;</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s14" data-properties="flower architecture;pistillode presence">pistillodes absent.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s15" data-properties="flower architecture;ovary architecture or structure in adjective form;ovary pubescence;ovary dehiscence;pedicel attachment condition"><b>Pistillate </b>flowers: ovary 3-locular, muricate-hispid to muricate-hispid-hirsute, dehiscing explosively, expelling seeds through ruptured pedicel attachment.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s16" data-properties="seed quantity;seed shape;seed shape;seed architecture;seed architecture"><b>Seeds </b>40–100, ovoid, compressed, not arillate, obscurely margined, surface smooth.</span> <span class="statement" id="st-d0_s17" data-properties="surface architecture or pubescence or relief;x chromosome quantity">x = 9.</span><!--

-->{{Treatment/Body
|distribution=e;se;sw Europe;w Asia;n Africa;also in w Europe;Australia
|introduced=true
|discussion=<p>Species 1.</p><!--
--><p>Ecballium plants are prostrate and without tendrils, and the hastiform leaves have crisped-undulate margins that appear whitish because of the light-colored abaxial surfaces. The erect peduncles are sharply nodding near the base of the fruit such that the mature fruit is pendent.</p><!--
--><p>The explosive dehiscence is stimulated by touching the peduncle near the fruit. The ripening fruit becomes turgid with mucilaginous fluid. Increasing pressure from the maturing and enlarging seeds forces the fruit to break away explosively from the plant and the seeds are ejected in a mucilaginous stream to several meters. The epithet (Greek, elaterios, driving) either reinforces the generic name or alludes to the violently purgative properties of the plant.</p>
|tables=
|references=
}}<!--

--><!--

-->{{#Taxon:
name=Ecballium
|authority=A. Richard in J. B. Bory de Saint-Vincent et al.
|rank=genus
|parent rank=family
|synonyms=
|basionyms=
|family=Cucurbitaceae
|distribution=e;se;sw Europe;w Asia;n Africa;also in w Europe;Australia
|introduced=true
|reference=None
|publication title=in J. B. Bory de Saint-Vincent et al., Dict. Class. Hist. Nat.
|publication year=1824
|special status=Introduced
|source xml=https://bibilujan@bitbucket.org/aafc-mbb/fna-fine-grained-xml.git/src/84153f6d59a0a91d69695978a64cee7560374f8e/V6/V6_8.xml
|genus=Ecballium
|abaxial surface coloration=light-colored
|base shape=cordate
|blade shape=unlobed;triangular;hastate or ovate-triangular
|bract presence=absent
|center coloration=yellow
|connective width=broadened
|corolla shape=campanulate;rotate-campanulate
|filament fusion=distinct
|flower architecture=pistillate;staminate;staminate;staminate;staminate;pistillate;staminate
|flower architecture or arrangement or growth form=solitary
|flower quantity=2;8
|hypanthium shape=campanulate
|margin coloration=whitish
|margin shape=crenate;crenate-dentate usually prominently sinuate-undulate or sinuate-crisped
|ovary architecture or structure in adjective form=3-locular
|ovary dehiscence=dehiscing
|ovary pubescence=muricate-hispid;muricate-hispid-hirsute
|pair quantity=1
|pedicel attachment condition=ruptured
|peduncle orientation=recurved-nodding
|petal coloration=white;pale-yellow
|petal fusion=distinct
|petal pubescence=puberulent
|petal quantity=5
|petal shape=acuminate;oblong-ovate
|petal some measurement=6mm;16mm
|pistillode presence=absent
|root architecture=tuberous
|seed architecture=margined;not arillate
|seed quantity=40;100
|seed shape=compressed;ovoid
|sepal quantity=5
|sepal shape=lanceolate
|stamen fusion=distinct;connate
|stamen quantity=3;2;5
|stem duration=annual
|stem pubescence=villous-hirsute
|surface architecture=eglandular
|surface architecture or pubescence or relief=smooth
|tendril presence=absent
|theca course or shape=sigmoid
|theca fusion=distinct
|whole_organism duration=perennial
|whole_organism growth form=plant
|whole_organism growth form or orientation=prostrate
|whole_organism orientation=trailing
|whole_organism reproduction=monoecious
|x chromosome quantity=9
}}<!--

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