Family: Cucurbitaceae

Common Name: शिवलिंगी

Etymology - Genus: From the Greek diploos (double) and cyclos (circular, wheel)

Etymology - Species: Shaped like the palm of the hand

Ecosystem: Annual

Origin: Native

Location: India, Vetal Hill

Description: Annual climber with circular, hairless stem.Simple leaf with a presence of tendril at the leaf node. Tendril is split at the end.Leaf with palmate lobes, smooth, shiny.Male and female flowers together appear in a leaf axle.Male and female flowers are born on same plant.Flowers are yellow, very small. Female flower has a small circular ovary below the calyx.Fruit is green, oblong with white patches, turns red on maturity.Many flat seeds are embedded in a pulp.

Root type: Taproot

Stem Appearance: Climber

Stem Cross Section: Circular

Stem Texture: Green, delicate, hairless

Root-Stem-Bark Description: Annual climber with circular, hairless stem.

Leaf - Characters

Attachment: Petiolate

Stipules: Tendrillar

Leaf Type: Simple

Phyllotaxy: Alternate-Spiral

Leaf Description: Simple leaf with a presence of tendril at the leaf node. Tendril is split at the end.

Leaflet - Characters

Lamina: Palmate

Lamina Bases:

Lamina Margins: Serrate

Lamina Apices: Acute

Lamina Texture: Glabrous

Venation: Reticulate-Unicostate

Leaflet Description: Leaf with palmate lobes, smooth, shiny.

Fruit type: Berry

Fruit type Description: Fruit is green, oblong with white patches, turns red on maturity.

Seed Type: Dicotyledon

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Seed Description: Many flat seeds are embedded in a pulp.