Cucurbitaceae (Gourd Family) Native members of Cucurbitaceae are of the Marah (Manroot) genus, which have singular female (pistillate) flowers and clustered male (staminate) flowers. The pistil developes into a gourd-like fruit with a few large seeds. Members of this family have been widely cultivated, resulting in the cucumbers, watermeloms, cantaloupes, squashes and pumpkins grown on farms. Certain species also are sources for important medicinal substances. The name "Manroot" comes from the surprisingly large tubers (4 - 8 ft long!) of these plants, which can appear to be a dead body when dug up. I don't think the name had any sexual connotations. Perhaps to be socially correct we should re-name them "Personroots." The common name "Wild Cucumber" seems to apply to both of these plants and is devoid of any gender presumptions. On Montara Mountain, the family is represented by Marah fabaceus (California Manroot) and Marah oreganus (Coast Manroot).

Marah fabaceus: California Manroot (Wild Cucumber) Cucurbitaceae (Gourd Family) Flowers: White, 5 or 6 petals, tiny; male flowers are flat and in clusters along stems, female flowers single. Blooms: March - June. Leaves: Glossy green, 5 - 7 slight, pointed lobes with large "U" base, often turned under slightly at edges. Fruit/Seeds: Very spiny green fruit capsules, round, 2 - 3 inches in diameter with four large seeds inside. Edibility under debate. May - October. Location: All trails all around. Seems to prefer warmer locations. Status: Native - Common. Further description & Comment: 15 - 20 ft long; mounding sprawling vine with coiling tendrils, usually winding over and through other vegetation.	Marah fabaceus 600x450 JPEG - 60K Note the flower clustering and the tendrils. The feathery leaves in the image are young Common Yarrow plants sprouting. This plant was found crawling over a low dirt berm next to Pedro Mtn Road in McNee Ranch State Park.
600x450 JPEG - 60K	Image to the left shows the male clusters of flowers, and the tendrils in action. The stem is slightly hairy and scaly, as can be seen in lower left. Images below show the developing fruit from the single female flower that grows next to each leaf stem. The mature fruit is about the size of a baseball, and the spines are so sharp you cannot hold it. As the fruit dries, it splits open to drop out the four large seeds. The vine then dies back, and by late fall, no sign of it can be found.
600x450 JPEG - 40K	480x360 JPEG - 52K
Marah oreganus (Coast Manroot) has much larger leaves with much more pronounced lobes, the flower stem of the staminate (male) flowers tends to to be very tall, and the fruit is more "melon shaped" and has fewer and softer spines. The general location and behavior of the two species are the same, and they are often found growing side-by-side or even inter-twined.

Marah oreganus: Coast Manroot Cucurbitaceae (Gourd Family) Flowers: White, 5 or 6 petals, tiny; male flowers are flat and in very tall upright clusters along stems, female flowers single. Blooms: March - June. Leaves: Large, glossy green, 5 - 7 very distinct, pointed lobes with large "U" base, 10 - 30 cm wide. Fruit/Seeds: Green fruit capsules 2 inches in diameter, 3 inches in length and football shaped, with some soft green spines - four large seeds inside. Edibility under debate. May - October. Location: All trails all around. Seems to prefer warmer locations. Status: Native - Common.	Marah oreganus 600x450 JPEG - 40K
600x450 JPEG - 56K	Further description & Comment: 15 - 30 ft long; mounding sprawling vine with coiling tendrils, usually winding over and through other vegetation. Marah fabaceus (California Manroot) has smaller leaves with that are not as deeply lobed, the flower stem of the staminate (male) flowers tends to to be shorter, and the fruit is much spinier. The general location and behavior of the two species are the same, and they are often found growing side-by-side or even inter-twined.
Image above shows the large and distinctly lobed leaves, a primary distinction from Marah fabaceus (California Manroot) Image to the right shows Marah oreganus mounding over a number of Coyote Bush plants. Other plants do not seem to affected by Marah sp.'s clambering all over them. As it dies back each year, it doesn't strangle other plants like some of the invasive ivys do. Photo by Bill and Barbara VanderWerf	600x450 JPEG - 88K

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