Guadeloupe Cucumber (Melothria pendula L.)

Photographic Location: Sycamore Ridge Ranch in Middle Tennessee

This wildflower is a member of the  Cucumber family (Cucurbitaceae)

The flowers are so tiny, it is the tiny, smooth watermelon-like fruit of the Guadeloupe Cucumber vine that attracts more attention. These tiny fruits are edible when they are young (but do your own research on Melothria pendula and make sure you've got the correct species!) I can personally attest that they taste like a cucumber. Guadeloupe Cucumber is a thin vine that grows to 6 or more feet long. The “pendula” species epithet comes from the fruit dangling at the end of the pedicel. 

Photographic Location: Sycamore Ridge Ranch in Middle Tennessee

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