Cucumis dipsaceus Ehrenb. ex Spach

Fibrous-rooted annual climbing or trailing herb; stems angular, rather grey-green, hispid with stiff bristly spreading hairs mainly on the ridges.. Leaf-blade ovate-or reniform-cordate in outline, rounded, regularly sinuate-toothed, scabrid hairy above and especially on the nerves beneath, 18–95 mm. long, 27–102 mm. broad, unlobed or shallowly and broadly 3-lobed, with the lobes rounded; petiole roughly spreading-hairy with broad-based pointed hairs, 17–115 mm. long.. Male flowers 1–4, on 7–13 mm. long pedicels; receptacle-tube pale green, 3.5–5 mm. long; lobes subulate-filiform, 1.5–4 mm. long; petals yellow with pellucid green veins, 5–10 mm. long, 2.5–5 mm. broad, united below.. Female flowers on 5–10 mm. long stalks; ovary ellipsoid, bristly, 9–17 mm. long, 4–8 mm. broad; receptacle-tube green, 3–4 mm. long; lobes subulate, spreading, 2.5–5 mm. long; petals 6–15 mm. long, 3–8.5 mm. broad, rounded and apiculate.. Fruit on a stout 8–11 mm. long stalk, ellipsoid, 43–66 mm. long, 28–40 mm. across, densely and softly spiny, with each spine ending in a hyaline bristle, pale green, yellow when ripe.. Seed elliptic, rather pointed at each end, 4.5 × 2 × 1 mm.

It is a tropical plant. It is best in light, well-drained soil. It needs a protected, sunny position. It is damaged by frost or drought. It grows between 425-1,800 m above sea level. It can grow in arid places.

The seeds are cooked and eaten. The leaves and fruit are also eaten. The young leaves are eaten as a vegetable and are also mashed in food. The leaves are also dried in the sun and then pounded into powder. It is then soaked in hot water, boiled and stirred. It is then eaten.

Plants are grown from seeds.