gherkin plant

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• garden cucumber
• Cucumber
• cowcumber

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Cucumis sativus f. viridis
• Cucumis sativus var. hardwickii
• Cucumis sativus convar. excellens
• Cucumis sativus var. curtus
• Cucumis sativus var. setosus
• Cucumis sativus var. donii
• Cucumis sativus var. serotinus
• Cucumis sativus var. praecox
• Cucumis sativus var. rossicus
• Cucumis sativus var. hollandicus
• Cucumis sativus var. turcicus
• Cucumis sativus var. flexuosus
• Cucumis sativus var. battich-djebbal
• Cucumis sativus convar. viridis
• Cucumis esculentus
• Cucumis sativus var. brullos
• Cucumis sativus var. chatte
• Cucumis sativus convar. pallidus
• Cucumis sativus var. chiar
• Cucumis sativus var. cilicicus
• Cucumis sativus var. sikkimensis
• Cucumis sativus var. ennemis
• Cucumis rumphii
• Cucumis sativus var. europaeus
• Cucumis vilmorinii
• Cucumis sativus var. fakus
• Cucumis sphaerocarpus
• Cucumis sativus var. falcatus
• Cucumis muricatus
• Cucumis sativus var. fastigiatus
• Cucumis hardwickii
• Cucumis sativus var. flavus
• Cucumis sativus f. hardwickii
• Cucumis sativus var. grossularioides
• Cucumis sativus var. xishuangbannanensis
• Cucumis sativus var. indoeuropeus
• Cucumis sativus subsp. hardwickii
• Cucumis sativus var. iranoturanicus
• Cucumis sativus var. izmir
• Cucumis sativus var. schemmam
• Cucumis sativus var. squamosus
• Cucumis sativus var. testudaceus
• Cucumis sativus var. tuberculatus
• Cucumis sativus var. variegatus
• Cucumis sativus var. viridis
• Cucumis sativus var. vulgatus
• Cucumis sativus f. albus
• Cucumis sativus f. australis
• Cucumis sativus f. borealis
• Cucumis sativus f. brunnescens
• Cucumis sativus f. pallescens
• Cucumis sativus subsp. agrestis
• Cucumis sativus subsp. gracilior
• Cucumis sativus subsp. rigidus
• Cucumis sativus var. albus
• Cucumis sativus var. anatolicus
• Cucumis sativus var. anglicus

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Cucurbitales, it is classified under the family Cucurbitaceae. Finally, its specific genus is identified as Cucumis.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse presence across several regions of the European continent. In Northern Europe, its distribution includes specific territories such as Denmark, Great Britain, and Sweden. Moving toward the central part of the continent, the species can also be found throughout Middle Europe. Specifically, it has been documented growing within the borders of Austria. Finally, its geographical range extends through the Middle European regions of Czechia and Slovakia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Cucumis sativus is characterized by its ability to thrive across a broad altitudinal gradient, ranging from sea level (0 m AMSL) up to elevations of 2500 m AMSL. It is primarily found inhabiting environments categorized as Floresta Ombrófila (equivalent to Floresta Pluvial), which indicates a preference for moist, tropical, or subtropical rainforest ecosystems. This habitat provides the high humidity and consistent moisture levels necessary for its growth within these diverse elevational strata.

Elevational range max:

2500 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Floresta Ombrófila (= Floresta Pluvial)

Life history

The life history of Cucumis sativus is characterized by an annual lifecycle, meaning the plant completes its entire developmental process—from germination to seed production and senescence—within a single growing season. As a therophyte, it survives unfavorable environmental conditions by completing its reproductive cycle quickly and persisting through the subsequent season primarily in the form of dormant seeds. This strategy allows the plant to exploit favorable seasonal climates, rapidly establishing its climbing or trailing vines to maximize vegetative growth and fruit production before the onset of frost or drought.

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Cucumis sativus is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb. It functions as an obligatory climber, utilizing a vine habit to ascend surfaces. As a terrestrial plant, it is neither aquatic nor an epiphyte, and it maintains an independent existence rather than acting as a parasite. The plant exhibits significant variability in its vertical dimensions, with a minimum height of 0.5 m, a maximum height reaching up to 4 m, and an average plant height of approximately 1.375 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

vine

Climber :

obligatory

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

4 m

Plant height mean:

1.375 m

Plant height min:

0.5 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Cucumis sativus is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency under typical environmental conditions. The plant does not exhibit succulence, maintaining standard leaf and stem water storage capacities rather than specialized succulent tissues for extreme arid adaptation. Furthermore, it is a non-carnivorous species, relying entirely on its root system and soil nutrient uptake for sustenance rather than capturing insects. Additionally, Cucumis sativus is not a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms, necessitating the availability of nitrogen within the soil substrate for healthy growth.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Cucumis sativus is primarily a sexual process, as asexual reproduction is absent in this species. The flowering period typically commences in May and concludes in August, though the timing can be variable. The plant relies on biotic pollination syndromes, specifically utilizing insects to facilitate the transfer of pollen. Regarding its reproductive mechanics, self-fertilization is present, allowing for successful seed production. The resulting seeds exhibit a range of masses, with a minimum of 0.0049 g, a mean mass of approximately 0.0203 g, and a maximum mass of 0.0298 g. Finally, the dispersal of these seeds is characterized as anthropochorous, meaning they are primarily spread through human activity.

Dispersal syndrome :

anthropochorous

Flowering time :

May

Flowering time :

Aug

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Seed mass max:

0.0298 g

Seed mass mean:

0.0203186365 g

Seed mass min:

0.0049 g

Self fertilization :

present

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Cucumis sativus has 3 reported plant parts identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include seed, fruit, leaf.

Seed

1. Saudi journal of biological sciences
2. Journal of food science

Fruit

1. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS

Leaf

1. Journal of natural products

Chemicals

Cucumis sativus has 167 reported phytochemicals identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include CALCIUM, CHLOROPHYLL, CUCURBITACIN C, Carotenoid, Cucurbitacin B.

CALCIUM

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of complementary & integrative medicine

CHLOROPHYLL

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Photosynthetica

CUCURBITACIN C

1. Dr. Duke
2. Science (New York, N.Y.)

Carotenoid

1. Scientific reports
2. Photosynthetica

Cucurbitacin B

1. Dr. Duke
2. International journal of nanomedicine

Flavonoids

1. Food chemistry
2. Journal of complementary & integrative medicine

IRON

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of complementary & integrative medicine

MAGNESIUM

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of complementary & integrative medicine

PHOSPHORUS

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of complementary & integrative medicine

POTASSIUM

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of complementary & integrative medicine

Activities

Cucumis sativus has 500 reported activities identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Anticancer, Antidiabetic, Analgesic, Gastroprotective.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Anti-cancer agents in medicinal chemistry
3. Journal of complementary & integrative medicine
4. Nutrients

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of complementary & integrative medicine
3. International journal of nanomedicine

Antidiabetic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Fitoterapia
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of burn care & research : official publication of the American Burn Association

Gastroprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of complementary & integrative medicine

Hepatoprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of complementary & integrative medicine

5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

ACE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

AP-1-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Abortifacient

1. Dr. Duke

Medicinal Uses

Cucumis sativus has 33 reported medicinal uses identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include cucumber mosaic virus, pain, Diabetes mellitus, Inflammation, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations