ACANTHOSICYOS NAUDINIANUS

This member of the Cucurbitaceae family was given this name by Charles Jeffrey in 1962. It is found in Angola, Botswana, South Africa, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe, growing in deep sandy or other well drained soil in wood- and grassland. It doesn't need much water but some to lots of sun. The 15 centimetre thick root will grow to one meter in length, the vines reach for up to six meters. Both the male and the female flowers are yellow, and the plant can only be reproduced by seeds and rood cuttings. The spiked fruits are six to twelve centimetres long and pale yellow when ripen.

The genera name means 'thorny cucumber'. The species is named after Charles Naudin, 1815-1899, a a French naturalist and botanist. The fruit by Bernard Dupont; Flickr.com/people/berniedup. Wild plantes by Roger and Alison Heath, Powo.science.kew.org.