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Cucumis prophetarum prophetarum

Synonyms

Cucumis amarus, Cucumis anguria, Cucumis arabicus, Cucumis foetidus, Cucumis mascatensis, Cucumis pustulatus

Common names

Hadaj, hadak, henaidhlan, wild gourd

AI-generated Description

Cucumis prophetarum, also known as the wild cucumber or prophet's gourd, is a vining plant native to the Middle East and North Africa. In Qatar, it has been found growing in coastal areas, particularly in sandy soils and saline environments. Research studies have documented its presence in various regions of Qatar, including the northeastern coast and inland areas. The plant's adaptability to harsh conditions, such as high temperatures and salinity, makes it well-suited to Qatar's arid environment. Local flora surveys have noted Cucumis prophetarum as a common species in Qatar's wild flora, often growing alongside other desert plants like Zygophyllum and Lycium.

Flower of wild gourd (Cucumis prophetarum) on roadside of a road to Al Nuaman (Al Numan) near Zubara. Northern Qatar, December 12, 2014
Unnamed Road, Qatar

Green fruits of wild gourd (Cucumis prophetarum) on roadside of a road to Al Nuaman (Al Numan) near Zubara. Northern Qatar, December 12, 2014
Unnamed Road, Qatar

Wild gourd (Cucumis prophetarum) on roadside of a road to Al Nuaman (Al Numan) near Zubara. Northern Qatar, December 12, 2014
Unnamed Road, Qatar

Yellow flower with ovary of wild gourd (Cucumis prophetarum) on roadside of a road to Al Nuaman (Al Numan) near Zubara. Northern Qatar, December 12, 2014
Unnamed Road, Qatar

Ripe fruit of wild gourd (Cucumis prophetarum) on roadside of a road to Al Nuaman (Al Numan) near Zubara. Northern Qatar, December 12, 2014
Unnamed Road, Qatar

Yellow fruit on a plant of wild gourd (Cucumis prophetarum) on roadside of a road to Al Nuaman (Al Numan) near Zubara. Northern Qatar, December 12, 2014
Unnamed Road, Qatar

Close up of a ripe yellow fruit of wild gourd (Cucumis prophetarum) on roadside of a road to Al Nuaman (Al Numan) near Zubara. Northern Qatar, December 12, 2014
Unnamed Road, Qatar

Close up of a green fruit of wild gourd (Cucumis prophetarum) on roadside of a road to Al Nuaman (Al Numan) near Zubara. Northern Qatar, December 12, 2014
Unnamed Road, Qatar

Fruit of wild gourd (Cucumis prophetarum) taken from roadside of a road to Al Nuaman (Al Numan) near Zubara. Northern Qatar, December 12, 2014

Green fruit of wild gourd (Cucumis prophetarum) taken from roadside of a road to Al Nuaman (Al Numan) near Zubara. Northern Qatar, December 12, 2014

Dissected fruit of wild gourd (Cucumis prophetarum) taken from roadside of a road to Al Nuaman (Al Numan) near Zubara. Northern Qatar, December 12, 2014

Ripe fruit of wild gourd (Cucumis prophetarum) taken from Umm Houtah in Southern Qatar, January 16, 2015

Seeds of wild gourd (Cucumis prophetarum) taken from Umm Houtah in Southern Qatar, January 16, 2015

Seeds of wild gourd (Cucumis prophetarum) on dark background taken from Umm Houtah in Southern Qatar, January 16, 2015

Wild gourd (Cucumis prophetarum) on roadside of a road from Khawzan to Al-Jumayliyah. Qatar, April 9, 2016
Unnamed Road, Qatar

Flower of wild gourd (Cucumis prophetarum) on roadside of a road from Khawzan to Al-Jumayliyah. Qatar, April 9, 2016
Unnamed Road, Qatar

AI-generated summary of observations

The plant Cucumis prophetarum was observed in various locations in Qatar, including near Zubara and Umm Houtah. It produced yellow flowers with ovaries and green fruits that turned yellow when ripe. The fruits were found on the roadside and were often picked for closer examination. Dissection of the fruit revealed its internal structure. Seeds from the fruit were also collected and examined. The plant was seen growing in different areas, including near roads and in southern Qatar. Observations were made over a period of time, from December 2014 to April 2016, allowing for documentation of the plant's growth and development. The fruits and flowers were photographed in various stages, providing a detailed record of the plant's characteristics.

Links

• Flora of Qatar.
• Unknown plants or plants without names.
• Duplicate and extra pictures of plants.
• Earlier version of collection of plants.
• Other collections of pictures from Qatar: Lizards of Qatar, Cats of Qatar, Camels of Qatar, and Fish of Qatar.
• Picture archives.
• Home page of A. Sergeev.

Outside links

• Cucumis prophetarum from www.catalogueoflife.org
• Ekhlas M. M. Abdel Bary, The Flora of Qatar, Volume I: The Dicotyledons. Doha 2012
• Flora of Qatar, Volume II: The Monocotyledons
• Illustrated Checklist of the Flora of Qatar. John Norton et al. 2009
• Qatar eNature. Flora
• Ali Al-Rawi, Flowering plants of Kuwait, 1985
• Plants of Kuwait
• Flora of Saudi Arabia, Al-Qassim Region
• Flora of Eastern Saudi Arabia by Rain and Dust at Flickr
• Plants of South-Western Morocco
• Pictures from Qatar (Flickr/cpmkutty)
• Arabian plants by Gary Brown
• Flora of Israel

How the web page was created

• A list of plants with their common names was written using online sources and books.
• Web pages were written by a program consisting of several scripts.
• Full names, synonyms, and classification of plants were found online from catalogueoflife.org and theplantlist.org using a script.
• Pictures of plants were selected from a database using a script.
• This web page was written using a script.

Acknowledgements

QNHG (Qatar Natural History Group) and associated people, for a possibility to participate in their field excursions and to learn about local nature.