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cucumis
Scientific Name: Cucumis prophetarum
Family: Cucurbitaceae
Category: Dicot
Growth:
Duration:
Other Names:
Cucumis: A Diverse Genus of Vines
The genus Cucumis belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family and includes familiar plants like cucumbers and melons. These tendril-bearing plants are grown almost exclusively as food crops.
Considerations for Pets
- Some wild African Cucumis species contain Cucurbitacins in their roots and fruits, which are known for their bitter taste.
Scientific Classification and Nomenclature
- Genus: Cucumis
- Family: Cucurbitaceae (also known as the gourd family)
- Major Group: Angiosperms (Flowering plants)
Key Species
- Cucumis sativus: Commonly known as cucumber, garden cucumber, or apple cucumber.
- Cucumis melo: Includes muskmelons, cantaloupe, honeydew, crenshaw, and sharlyn melons. Synonyms include melon persion and 'Pionet Piel de Sapo'.
- Cucumis metuliferus: African horned cucumber.
Distribution and Habitat
- The genus Cucumis has a major center of diversity in tropical and southern Africa.
- Cucumis sativus (cucumber) is believed to have originated from India.
Morphological Characteristics
- Cucumis species are typically twining, tendril-bearing annuals and perennials.
- Cucumis sativus (cucumber) is an annual climber growing up to 2 meters (6 ft 7 in).
- Cucumis metuliferus is an annual climbing or trailing plant.
Ecological Role
- Cucumis species, especially Cucumis sativus and Cucumis melo, are widely cultivated crops worldwide.
Genetic and Cytological Information
- Cucumis sativus has a chromosome number of 2n = 2x = 14.
- Some studies have focused on the genome of Cucumis sativus, including its genomic DNA, splice-aligned transcripts and proteins, and gene models.
- The text mentions Interspecific F1 hybrids were obtained from a cross between Cucumis sativus L. ( 2n = 2x = 14) and C. hystrix Chakr. (2n = 2x = 24).
- The text refers to: Cucumis sativus scaffold sequences BLAST-able datasets include Cucumis sativus genomic DNA, splice-aligned transcripts and proteins, gene models.
Interactions with Other Organisms
- Cucumis sativus can be affected by the biocontrol agent Trichoderma harzianum, which induces defense responses in the plant.
Quirky Facts
- There is a cucumber-based soft drink called "Cucumis" in Germany.
Resources and Further Information
- Taxonomic Serial No.: 22364 for Cucumis sativus can be found online.
- More information and photos of Cucumis can be found on ARKive.