Marah sp.
Man-root, wild cucumber, Wild Cucumber
(c) Franco Folini, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Cucurbitaceae · Type: Perennial · Variable; species dependent
Marah sp. (Man-root) is a non-native California perennial in the Cucurbitaceae family.
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 sp. native to California?
No. Marah sp. is not native to California (recorded as variable; species dependent).
What plant family does Marah sp. belong to?
Marah sp. is in the Cucurbitaceae family, genus Marah.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-04-14
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.