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Botanical name: Solena amplexicaulis Family: Cucurbitaceae (Pumpkin family)
Synonyms: Bryonia amplexicaulis, Bryonia solena, Cucurbita sagittata Creeping cucumber is a climbing perennial herb with
several tuberous roots spindle-shaped, 1.5-2 cm in diameter. Stem and
branches hairless. Leaf-stalk slender, 4-10 mm, finely velvet-hairy at
first, becoming hairless; leaf blade ovate, oblong,
undivided leathery; 8-12 × 1-5 cm,
below densely bristly or almost hairless, above densely bristly or
scabrous, base heart-shaped, margin entire or toothed, tip blunt or
tapering. Tendrils slender. Male flowers umbellate or subumbellate;
flower-cluster-stalk very short, apically 10-20-flowered; flower-stalks
2-8 mm; calyx tube 3-5 mm, about 3 mm in diam.; segments subulate,
0.2-0.4 mm. Flowers are yellow or yellow-white; petals triangular,
1-1.5 mm, tip blunt or pointed; filaments thread-like, about 3 mm.
Female flowers are usually solitary; flower-stalk 2-10 mm, finely
velvet-hairy; calyx and flower as in male flowers; ovary ovoid, 2.5-3.5
× 2-3 mm; stigmas 3. Fruit red-brown, broadly ovoid, oblong, or nearly
spherical, 2-6 × 2-5 cm. Seeds gray-white or gray-brown, nearly round
or obovate, 5-7 × 5-6.5 mm, smooth or slightly tuberculate. Flowering:
May-August.
Medicinal uses: Creeping Cucumber has traditionally been used in the management of diseases pertaining to gastrointestinal, respiratory and vascular system.
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