How does the squirting cucumber disperse its seeds? A detailed explanation of the squirting cucumber's ballistic seed dispersal mechanism

The squirting cucumber is a trailing herbaceous plant that often grows on dry hillsides or grasslands, and it is cultivated in Nanjing, Shaanxi and other places in China. So what does it rely on to disperse its seeds?

1. What does the squirting cucumber rely on to disperse its seeds?

The squirting cucumber disperses its seeds by squirting. Because after the squirting cucumber ripens, the juice continuously exerts strong pressure on the fruit rind from inside the fruit, and when the fruit stalk ripens to the point that it can no longer hold on and drops off, the juice immediately squirts out from the opening where the fruit stalk fell off, and is ejected together with the seeds.

2. Related introduction to the squirting cucumber

1. Origin

The squirting cucumber is distributed in the Mediterranean coastal region, Anatolia and China (Xinjiang), and is cultivated in Nanjing, Wugong County in Shaanxi and other places in China. It often grows on dry hillsides or grasslands. It likes a warm environment with sufficient sunlight, and grows well within a temperature range of 14-26 degrees C. It likes moist soil.

2. Propagation

The squirting cucumber is propagated by sowing, which can be done in April-May each year. The selected seeds can first be soaked for 4-6 hours, then wrapped in a wet cloth and placed in a warm place for germination. After that, water frequently to keep them moist, and once 70% of the seeds have germinated, sowing can be carried out.

3. Morphology

The roots of the squirting cucumber are elongated and thick. The stem is rough, with short bristles, about 1.5 m long. The leaf stalks are slightly thick, the corolla is yellow, and the fruit is pale green.