''Apodanthera undulata'', common name melon loco, is a plant species native to the south-western United States (western

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ke ...

, and

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

) and in Mexico as far south as

Oaxaca Oaxaca ( , also , , from nci, Huāxyacac ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Oaxaca ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca), is one of the 32 states that compose the political divisions of Mexico, Federative Entities of Mexico. It is ...

. ''Apodanthera undulata'' is a monoecious, foul-smelling,

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wid ...

vine with a massive

taproot A taproot is a large, central, and dominant root from which other roots sprout laterally. Typically a taproot is somewhat straight and very thick, is tapering in shape, and grows directly downward. In some plants, such as the carrot, the taproo ...

up to 20 cm (8 inches) in diameter. Stems are prostrate, running along the ground up to 2.4 m (8 feet), sometimes climbing with tendrils. Leaves are round to kidney-shaped, up to 15 cm (6 inches) across, decidedly wavy. Flowers are yellow, trumpet-shaped. Fruits are egg-shaped with ridges running lengthwise, up to 10 cm (4 inches) long.McVaugh, R. 2001. Cucurbitaceae. 3: 483–652. In R. McVaugh (ed.) Flora Novo-Galiciana. The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.Shreve, F. & I. L. Wiggins. 1964. Vegetation and Flora of the Sonoran Desert. 2 vols. Stanford University Press, Stanford.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2858404 Cucurbitoideae Flora of Mexico Flora of New Mexico Flora of Texas Flora of Arizona