Marah macrocarpa
Chilicothe
(c) Evrytte Carlson, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Evrytte Carlson · licence
Family: Cucurbitaceae · Type: Vine · Native
Marah macrocarpa (Chilicothe) is a native California vine in the Cucurbitaceae family, recognized by oblong fruit with many seeds and shallow cup-shaped corolla.
Chilicothe is a California native perennial found in southwestern and desert southern California in washes and shrubby areas at elevations below 900 meters. Flowering from January to April, this plant produces white flowers in cup-shaped corollas over 8 millimeters wide. Growing with spreading herbage that is not glaucous, it develops a robust vine-like structure with prominent tendrils. Its fruit is distinctive, measuring 5 to 12 centimeters long, oblong with rounded ends, and covered in dense, stiff prickles. The plant produces large ovoid seeds 13 to 33 millimeters long, typically more than 6 per fruit.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 sympatric species; key features are oblong fruit with many seeds and shallow cup-shaped corolla
Habitat and range
Habitat: Washes, shrubby or open areas
Elevation: < 900 m
California counties: Los Angeles, Kern, San Diego, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, Plumas, Ventura, Imperial, Santa Barbara, Monterey, Butte, San Francisco, Santa Clara, San Luis Obispo, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
Outside California: Baja California
Bloom period
Marah macrocarpa blooms Jan-Apr.
How to tell it apart
vs Echinocystis: Marah fruits are beaked and symmetric; Echinocystis fruits lack prominent beaks.; vs Delairea: Marah is a cucurbit vine with tendrils; Delairea is a composite with daisy-like flowers.; vs Brandegea: Marah flowers are 3 mm or larger; Brandegea flowers are under 3 mm.; vs Vitis: Marah has white flowers and spiny fruits; Vitis has grapes and opposite leaves with tendrils.; vs Cucumis: Marah flowers are white/cream; Cucumis flowers are yellow.
Frequently asked questions
Is Marah macrocarpa native to California?
Yes. Marah macrocarpa is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Marah macrocarpa bloom?
Marah macrocarpa blooms Jan-Apr.
Where in California does Marah macrocarpa grow?
Marah macrocarpa occurs in Los Angeles, Kern, San Diego, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, Plumas, Ventura and other counties, at elevations of < 900 m.
What plant family does Marah macrocarpa belong to?
Marah macrocarpa is in the Cucurbitaceae family, genus Marah.
What habitat does Marah macrocarpa grow in?
Marah macrocarpa grows in Washes, shrubby or open areas.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.