Botanical identity
This taxon is documented in the World Checklist of Useful Plant Species with a reported medicinal use. The record establishes a use report and botanical index entry, not clinical effectiveness or individual safety.
KingdomPlantae
Phylum / divisionTracheophyta
ClassMagnoliopsida
OrderCucurbitales
FamilyCucurbitaceae
GenusCitrullus
Scientific name with authorshipCitrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrad.
Indexed scientific synonyms
Citrullus colocynthis subsp. insipidus (Pangalo) FursaCitrullus colocynthis subsp. stenotomus (Pangalo) FursaCitrullus colocynthis var. bipinnatifidus Alef.Citrullus colocynthis var. indicus Alef.Citrullus colocynthis var. insipidus PangaloCitrullus colocynthis var. officinalis Alef.Citrullus colocynthis var. stenotomus PangaloCitrullus colocynthis var. wenderothii Alef.Citrullus colocynthoides PangaloCitrullus dimidiens Gand.Citrullus nubica Gand.Citrullus pseudocolocynthis (Wender.) M.Roem.Colocynthis officinalis Schrad.Colocynthis officinarum Cogn.Colocynthis vulgaris Schrad.Cucumis bipinnatifidus WightCucumis bipinnatifidus Wight ex NaudinCucumis colocynthis (L.) Thunb.Cucumis colocynthis L.Cucumis colocynthoides Pi.SaviCucumis colocynthoides Schult.Cucumis pseudocolocynthis Wender.Cucurbita colocyntha Link
Documented use categories
Medicine
Human food
Animal food
Environmental use
Fuel
Gene source
Material
Poison reported
Social use
Crop wild relative
These categories describe the kinds of human-use reports attached to the taxon in the source checklist. Multiple categories can coexist; a plant may be recorded as both food and poison, depending on part, preparation and context.
How to interpret this record
Evidence boundary
A taxonomic use record is a discovery and indexing signal. Clinical evidence must be assessed separately for the exact species, plant part, preparation, route, dose and health question.
Safety boundary
Correct identification is essential. Toxicity, contraindications, interactions and safe preparation cannot be inferred from a documented-use record.
Dataset record and provenance
DatasetWCUPS 2020
LicenceCC BY 4.0
Name sourceIPNI
IPNI / external identifier291930-1
Use codesAF EU FU GS HF MA ME PO SU
Crop wild relativeYes
Contributing checklist sources
Kew Economic Botany CollectionUSDA GRINMedicinal Plant Names Services v8.2Plant Resources for Tropical AfricaUseful Plant ProjectUseful Plants of West Tropical Africa
Read the full dataset citation, licence and import methodology →
!Educational index, not a treatment recommendation
The presence of a taxon in this database does not provide a diagnosis, dose, formulation or assurance of safety. Some indexed plants are toxic, regulated, endangered or unsafe in specific life stages.