Plant · GBIF taxon 2874550
creeping cucumber
Melothria pendulaAlso known as Guadeloupe Cucumber, Snootberry
Creeping cucumber climbs gracefully through moist woods, stream banks, and field margins using slender coiled tendrils. Its small yellow flowers open during warm months to attract solitary bees and hoverflies, while miniature watermelon-like fruits dangle from thin pedicels. The vine plays an important ecological role along southern forest borders by offering dense ground cover and shelter for tiny invertebrates.
ViningWildflowerNative
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Autotrophic (Photosynthetic)
Predators
- Insects
- Songbirds
- Small Mammals
ThreatsHabitat conversion and agricultural weed management
HabitatsMoist woodlands, thickets, stream banks, and disturbed soils
Life spanPerennial (annual in colder regions)
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderCucurbitales
- FamilyCucurbitaceae
- GenusMelothria
- SpeciesMelothria pendula
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskHigh
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is high
- Mature dark fruits contain strong purgatives that cause severe stomach distress; wild berries have toxic look-alikes, so never ingest.
- Why it is dangerous
- Mature dark purple and black fruits contain powerful laxative compounds that induce severe abdominal cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea.
- How to recognize a risky encounter
- Recognizable by delicate vines with palmately lobed leaves, tiny yellow blooms, and small striped green fruits turning black.
- What to do
- Avoid eating any fruits or leaves, and observe trailing growth safely from trail borders.
Responsible observation
- Spotting Foliage: Search along sunny thicket edges where thin tendrils anchor leaves to nearby plants.
- Examining Blooms: Look closely at leaf axils during mid-summer mornings to view the tiny yellow blossoms.
Close Relative (c) Patrice Dupont, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Michael J. Papay, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Michael J. Papay · cc-by
Family Member (c) John P Friel, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Family Member (c) Bernard DUPONT, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
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