Creeping Cucumber Melothria pendula Linnaeus    Synonyms: Melothria microcarpa, Melothria nashii, Melothria pendula var. aspera.
Kingdom Plantae   >   Division Tracheophyta   >   Class Magnoliopsida   >   Order Violales   >   Family Cucurbitaceae   >   Genus Melothria   

Status:

Once considered extremely rare and endangered in Maryland, with only four known populations. In recent years, botanists and plant enthusiasts across the state, have discovered enough populations of Creeping Cucumber to have the species de-listed from the Maryland Rare, Threatened, and Endangered Species List!

Christopher Frye, the Maryland State Botanist states, "Brown and Brown (Herbaceous Plants of Maryland, 1984) indicate that Melothria pendula is adventive; however, Broome et al. (Huntia, v. 7, 1987, p. 83) state that pre-1690 specimens are present in the British Museum of Natural History and that the species was rediscovered, nearly three centuries later as a “weed” on the University of Maryland campus in the 1970’s." The University of Maryland plant is still thriving!

There are 58 records in the project database.

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Creeping Cucumber in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (7/7/2010). Photo by Kerry Wixted. (MBP list)

The fruit of a Creeping Cucumber in Somerset Co., Maryland (9/24/2014). Photo by Jim Brighton. (MBP list)

Creeping Cucumber in Dorchester Co., Maryland (6/12/2019). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

Creeping Cucumber in Charles Co., Maryland (9/7/2019). Photo by Port Tobacco River Conservancy. (MBP list)

Creeping Cucumber in Calvert Co., Maryland (9/29/2020). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)

Creeping Cucumber in fruit in Prince George's Co., Maryland (7/18/2017). Photo by Jeff Schultz. (MBP list)

A Creeping Cucumber fruit in Dorchester Co., Maryland (7/10/2019). Photo by Josh Emm. (MBP list)

Creeping Cucumber in Worcester Co., Maryland (8/20/2019). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

Creeping Cucumber in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (10/9/2016). Photo by John Hall. (MBP list)

Creeping Cucumber found growing wild on the University of Maryland College Park Campus. This plant was found on the campus in the 1970's and is still thriving! Photo by Chris Frye. (MBP list)

Creeping Cucumber in Worcester Co., Maryland (8/20/2019). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

Creeping Cucumber in Dorchester Co., Maryland (6/12/2019). (c) Wayne Longbottom, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

Creeping Cucumber in Prince George's Co., Maryland (9/4/2020). (c) Wayne Longbottom, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

Creeping Cucumber in Prince George's Co., Maryland (9/4/2020). (c) Wayne Longbottom, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

Creeping Cucumber in Prince George's Co., Maryland (9/4/2020). (c) Wayne Longbottom, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

Creeping Cucumber in Prince George's Co., Maryland (9/4/2020). (c) Wayne Longbottom, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)


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