Marah macrocarpa is a species of plant in the genus Marah commonly referred to as chilicothe, wild cucumber, manroot or bigroot. It is a perennial herb with a large tuber native to Southern California and northern Baja California. It grows in a diverse number of habitats in coastal and inland regions. A member of the gourd family, it produces a large, green, prickly fruit. Indigenous peoples traditionally used it for treating hair loss and pain relief. All parts of the plant are toxic, as it contains cucurbitacins and ribosome-inactivating proteins.
From Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is it poisonous?
We have no record of Chilicothe being toxic, poisonous or venomous. That is not proof that it is safe. Never eat, touch or handle a wild plant, mushroom or animal on the strength of an identification; ask someone qualified.
Easily confused with
Classification
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Phylum
- Tracheophyta
- Class
- Magnoliopsida
- Order
- Cucurbitales
- Family
- Cucurbitaceae
- Genus
- Marah
- Species
- Marah macrocarpa
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