CUCURBITA CORDATA

This member of the Cucurbitaceae family was collected by Edward Palmer near Los Angeles Bay in 1887, and described by Sereno Watson in 1889. It can be found in a limited portion of the Sonoran Desert. It preferring a loose sand/grit/gravel mix and some sun, and produces tuberous roots to survive periods of drought. Fruits are approximately eight centimetres, round, and grey-green with lighter stripes. The seeds are ten millimetres long. Some sources list C. cylindrata as a synonym, while other authorities view the two as a case of sympatric speciation.

The genera name from Latin; cucumis; 'gourd'. The species name means 'heart-shaped', referring to leaves. Another wild plant by Jon Rebman, Bajaflora.org.