Cucumis hystrix

Cucumis hystrix is native to northern Thailand, northern Laos, northern Vietnam, Myanmar, southeastern India, and southern China and is also found in eastern China near the Yangtze River.[2]

The leaves and petioles of the plant are hairy and the leaves have 3-5 lobes and are cordate at the bases with acute apexes. The flowers are solitary and yellow in color and their petals measure 8-10 millimeters in length in males. The fruit is pendent and yellow-green in color and ovate in shape and is covered in spike-like pustules. They contain numerous seeds. It flowers and fruits from September through December. It grows in scrub jungles, forests edges, and along roadsides up to 5905.5 feet (1800 m) in elevation.[3]

It has shown strong resistance against downy mildew and other diseases that affect members of the genus Cucumis and has been successfully hybridized with Cucumis sativus to create a disease-resistant cucumber plant.[4]

It was described by botanist Hira Lal Chakravarty in 1952 and has been known since at least 1914. It has two varieties, Cucumis hystrix var. hystrix and Cucumis hystrix var. mizoramensis.[5]