Taxon: Melothria pendula L.

Summary

Genus:

Melothria

Family:

Cucurbitaceae

Tribe:

Benincaseae

Nomen number:

301051

Place of publication:

Sp. pl. 1:35. 1753

Protologue link:

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/358056

Typification:

View in Linnean Typification Project

Verified:

01/04/2005 ARS Systematic Botanists.

Accessions:

7 (7 active, 3 available) in National Plant Germplasm System. (Map it)

Other conspecific taxa

Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations

Autonym(s)
Melothria pendula L. var. pendula

Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Bryonia guadalupensis Spreng.
Melothria guadalupensis (Spreng.) Cogn.
Melothria microcarpa Griseb.
Melothria microcarpa Shuttlew. ex Small
Melothria pendula L. var. microcarpa (Griseb.) Cogn.
Melothria scabra Naudin

Images (1 total. Click on image for more.)

Conservation Status

Reference(s)

Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
Balick, M. J. et al. 2000. Checklist of the vascular plants of Belize, with common names and uses. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 85
Correll, D. S. & M. C. Johnston. 1970. Manual of the vascular plants of Texas
Gleason, H. A. & A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada, ed. 2
Liogier, H. A. 1984-. Descriptive flora of Puerto Rico and adjacent islands.
McGregor, R. L. et al. (The Great Plains Flora Association). 1986. Flora of the Great Plains.
McVaugh, R. 1983-. Flora Novo-Galiciana.
Radford, A. E. et al. 1964. Manual of the vascular flora of the Carolinas.
Stevens, W. D. et al., eds. 2001. Flora de Nicaragua. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 85(1-3).
Steyermark, J. A. et al., eds. 1995-. Flora of the Venezuelan Guayana. Note: Missouri Botanical Garden & Timber Press
Steyermark, J. A. 1977. Flora of Missouri.
Wunderlin, R. P. 1998. Guide to the vascular plants of Florida
Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74.

Common names

Language	Name	seq	Citation
English	creeping-cucumber	1	Gleason, H. A. & A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada, ed. 2
Spanish	meloncito	2	Correll, D. S. & M. C. Johnston. 1970. Manual of the vascular plants of Texas
Spanish	pepinito	2	Liogier, H. A. 1984-. Descriptive flora of Puerto Rico and adjacent islands.
Swedish	hängmelotgurka	2	Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)

Distribution

order_code	Status	Continent	Subcontinent	Country	State	Note	Reference
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Illinois		Gleason, H. A. & A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada, ed. 2
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Kansas	s.e.	McGregor, R. L. et al. (The Great Plains Flora Association). 1986. Flora of the Great Plains.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Missouri	s.	Steyermark, J. A. 1977. Flora of Missouri.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Oklahoma	s.e.	McGregor, R. L. et al. (The Great Plains Flora Association). 1986. Flora of the Great Plains.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Indiana	s.	Gleason, H. A. & A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada, ed. 2
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Pennsylvania		Gleason, H. A. & A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada, ed. 2
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Nuevo León		McVaugh, R. 1983-. Flora Novo-Galiciana.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	San Luis Potosí		McVaugh, R. 1983-. Flora Novo-Galiciana.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Sinaloa		McVaugh, R. 1983-. Flora Novo-Galiciana.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Sonora		McVaugh, R. 1983-. Flora Novo-Galiciana.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Tamaulipas		McVaugh, R. 1983-. Flora Novo-Galiciana.
1	Native	Northern America	South-Central U.S.A.	United States	Texas		Correll, D. S. & M. C. Johnston. 1970. Manual of the vascular plants of Texas
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Alabama		Gleason, H. A. & A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada, ed. 2
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Arkansas		Gleason, H. A. & A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada, ed. 2
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Florida		Gleason, H. A. & A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada, ed. 2
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Georgia		Gleason, H. A. & A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada, ed. 2
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Kentucky		Gleason, H. A. & A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada, ed. 2
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Louisiana		Gleason, H. A. & A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada, ed. 2
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Maryland		Gleason, H. A. & A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada, ed. 2
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Mississippi		Gleason, H. A. & A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada, ed. 2
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	North Carolina		Radford, A. E. et al. 1964. Manual of the vascular flora of the Carolinas.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	South Carolina		Radford, A. E. et al. 1964. Manual of the vascular flora of the Carolinas.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Tennessee		Gleason, H. A. & A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada, ed. 2
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Virginia		Gleason, H. A. & A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada, ed. 2
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Campeche		McVaugh, R. 1983-. Flora Novo-Galiciana.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Chiapas		McVaugh, R. 1983-. Flora Novo-Galiciana.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Guerrero		McVaugh, R. 1983-. Flora Novo-Galiciana.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Jalisco		McVaugh, R. 1983-. Flora Novo-Galiciana.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Michoacán de Ocampo		McVaugh, R. 1983-. Flora Novo-Galiciana.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Nayarit		McVaugh, R. 1983-. Flora Novo-Galiciana.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Oaxaca		McVaugh, R. 1983-. Flora Novo-Galiciana.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Quintana Roo		McVaugh, R. 1983-. Flora Novo-Galiciana.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Tabasco		McVaugh, R. 1983-. Flora Novo-Galiciana.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave		McVaugh, R. 1983-. Flora Novo-Galiciana.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Yucatán		McVaugh, R. 1983-. Flora Novo-Galiciana.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Antigua and Barbuda			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Bahamas			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Barbados			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Cayman Islands			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Cuba			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Dominica			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Grenada			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Guadeloupe			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Hispaniola			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Jamaica			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Martinique			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Montserrat			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Netherlands Antilles	Saba		Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Netherlands Antilles	St. Eustatius		Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	St. Kitts and Nevis			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	St. Lucia			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	St. Vincent and Grenadines			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Trinidad and Tobago			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	United States	Puerto Rico		Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	United States	Virgin Islands, U.S.		Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Virgin Islands (British)			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Belize			Balick, M. J. et al. 2000. Checklist of the vascular plants of Belize, with common names and uses. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 85
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Costa Rica
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	El Salvador
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Guatemala
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Honduras
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Nicaragua			Stevens, W. D. et al., eds. 2001. Flora de Nicaragua. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 85(1-3).
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Panama
1	Native	Southern America	Northern South America	Venezuela
1	Native	Southern America	Southern South America	Argentina			Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74.
1	Native	Southern America	Southern South America	Paraguay
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Bolivia
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Colombia
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Ecuador
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Peru

Native
Northern America

NORTHEASTERN U.S.A.: United States [Indiana (s.), Pennsylvania]
NORTH-CENTRAL U.S.A.: United States [Kansas (s.e.), Missouri (s.), Illinois, Oklahoma (s.e.)]
SOUTHEASTERN U.S.A.: United States [Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia]
SOUTH-CENTRAL U.S.A.: United States [Texas]
NORTHERN MEXICO: Mexico [Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tamaulipas]
SOUTHERN MEXICO: Mexico [Campeche, Chiapas, Guerrero, Jalisco, Michoacán de Ocampo, Nayarit, Oaxaca, Quintana Roo, Tabasco, Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, Yucatán]

Southern America

CARIBBEAN: Hispaniola, Netherlands Antilles [Saba, St. Eustatius], Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Guadeloupe, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Montserrat, Martinique, Trinidad and Tobago, United States [Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, U.S.], St. Vincent and Grenadines, Virgin Islands (British)
CENTRAL AMERICA: Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, El Salvador
NORTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Venezuela
WESTERN SOUTH AMERICA: Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
SOUTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Argentina, Paraguay

Reference(s)

Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
Balick, M. J. et al. 2000. Checklist of the vascular plants of Belize, with common names and uses. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 85
Correll, D. S. & M. C. Johnston. 1970. Manual of the vascular plants of Texas
Gleason, H. A. & A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada, ed. 2
McGregor, R. L. et al. (The Great Plains Flora Association). 1986. Flora of the Great Plains.
McVaugh, R. 1983-. Flora Novo-Galiciana.
Radford, A. E. et al. 1964. Manual of the vascular flora of the Carolinas.
Stevens, W. D. et al., eds. 2001. Flora de Nicaragua. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 85(1-3).
Steyermark, J. A. 1977. Flora of Missouri.
Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74.

Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=301051. Accessed 8 May 2026.