From the archive record
Cyclanthera pedata, a climbing vine belonging to the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae). The plant displays pale green elongated fruits with a slightly curved shape and lightly textured outer surface marked by soft spines or longitudinal ridges. Mature fruits of this species are typically hollow inside and are cultivated as edible vegetables in several tropical and subtropical regions. The vine also shows distinctive palmate leaves with serrated margins and multiple lobes, characteristic of many climbing cucurbits. Tendrils help the plant attach itself to surrounding supports and vegetation during growth. The footage documents the foliage structure and fruit development of a cultivated climbing vegetable species.