Cucumber
Cucumis sativus
Synonyms: Cucumis sativus f. hardwickii, Cucumis sativus var. hollandicus, Cucumis sativus subsp. hardwickii, Cucumis sativus var. flexuosus, Cucumis sativus var. serotinus, Cucumis sativus var. pallidus, Cucumis sativus var. praecox, Cucumis sativus var. iranoturanicus, Cucumis sativus var. setosus, Cucumis sativus f. borealis, Cucumis sativus var. testudaceus, Cucumis sphaerocarpus, Cucumis sativus f. pallescens, Cucumis sativus f. albus, Cucumis sativus var. curtus, Cucumis sativus var. variegatus, Cucumis sativus var. vulgatus, Cucumis muricatus, Cucumis rumphii, Cucumis esculentus, Cucumis sativus var. ennemis, Cucumis sativus var. chiar, Cucumis sativus var. grossularioides, Cucumis sativus var. fastigiatus, Cucumis sativus var. anglicus, Cucumis sativus var. fakus, Cucumis sativus var. battich-djebbal, Cucumis sativus var. hardwickii, Cucumis sativus subsp. gracilior, Cucumis sativus var. albus, Cucumis sativus f. viridis, Cucumis sativus var. turcicus, Cucumis sativus var. schemmam, Cucumis sativus var. izmir, Cucumis sativus var. rossicus, Cucumis sativus var. indoeuropeus, Cucumis sativus var. donii, Cucumis sativus f. typicus, Cucumis sativus f. australis, Cucumis sativus var. tuberculatus, Cucumis sativus f. brunnescens, Cucumis sativus var. squamosus, Cucumis hardwickii, Cucumis sativus var. viridis, Cucumis sativus var. cilicicus, Cucumis sativus var. chatte, Cucumis sativus var. flavus, Cucumis sativus var. falcatus, Cucumis sativus var. brullos, Cucumis sativus var. europaeus, Cucumis sativus subsp. rigidus, Cucumis sativus var. sikkimensis, Cucumis sativus var. anatolicus, Cucumis vilmorinii, Cucumis sativus subsp. agrestis, Cucumis sativus var. xishuangbannanensis
Western Herbalism Properties
Gallery
Botanical Description
Cucumis sativus, the cucumber, is a trailing or climbing annual of the gourd family with rough, hairy, angular stems that cling by branched tendrils. The leaves are large, triangular to broadly heart-shaped with three to five pointed lobes and toothed margins, set on long stalks and covered in bristly hairs. The plant bears separate male and female yellow, five-lobed, bell-shaped flowers in the leaf axils, the female flowers recognizable by the small immature fruit at their base. The fruit is an elongated, cylindrical false berry (pepo) with a green, often warty or ridged rind and crisp, watery, pale flesh enclosing numerous flat seeds. Native to South Asia, where it was domesticated, the cucumber is now cultivated worldwide as a salad and pickling vegetable.
Cultural & Historical Context
Traditional American Uses
In Ayurvedic practice cucumber seeds (and the cooling fruit) are valued as a refrigerant and gentle diuretic, used for urinary complaints and as a cooling food in hot conditions (Khare, 2007). The fruit is eaten worldwide as a salad vegetable, and sliced cucumber is a familiar folk cooling application for the skin and eyes.
Chemistry & External Identifiers
Important Disclaimer
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.