Paddymelon - introduced (*Cucumis myriocarpus )

Other names: Prickly Paddymelon.

Family: Cucurbitaceae (Cucumber family).

Native of South Africa.

Occurrence: Widespread grassland weed in northern Victoria.

Identification:

• it is a prostrate vine with slender stems
• the flowers are yellow and with five petals
• the tendrils are undivided
• the leaves are deeply 5 lobed, and some lobes are further divided
• the fruit are round and 2-3 cm in diameter, with dark and light green stripes, and with long soft bristles.

The fruit are poisonous. Paddymelon is widespread in the inland areas of Australia.

Similar species: Bitter Melon (Citrullus lanatus var lanatus) has much larger fruit (to tennis ball size or larger), and which are smooth-skinned.

Watermelon is Citullus lanatus var caffer.

Photos: Moonlight Creek flat. 1: Leaves, flowers and fruit. 2: It is a prostrate plant.