Cucurbitaceae · Sicyos

Chayote

Sicyos edulis

outdoor
Found in India
Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal & more

Plant Details

Scientific name
Sicyos edulis
Genus
Sicyos
Found in India
Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Bihar, Karnataka, Manipur, Mizoram
Conservation status
Not Evaluated (NE)

Leaf characters

Leaf shape
CordaterecordedHeart-shaped, with a notch at the base.It has heart-shaped leaves, 10–25 cm (3.9–9.8 in) wide and tendrils on the stem. — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Typical of the family

Arrangement
Alternate
Simple type leaf character
Type
Simple
Lobed margin leaf character
Margin
Lobed
Palmate venation leaf character
Venation
Palmate

Characters marked “recorded” are for Chayote itself; the rest are typical of the Cucurbitaceae family.

Flower & fruit characters

Flower colour
Whiterecorded
Flower arrangement
SolitaryrecordedA single flower borne alone, not in a cluster.The plant bears male flowers in clusters and solitary female flowers. — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Typical of the family

Inflorescence
Solitary
Fruit
Berry

Characters marked “recorded” are for Chayote itself; the rest are typical of the Cucurbitaceae family — flowering plants only.

Local Names

Bengali
স্কোয়াশ

About Chayote

Chayote (Sicyos edulis) belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family. In India it has been recorded in Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and 4 other states.

Uses

In practice it is grown for parts that are eaten and planted as an ornamental.

In culture

It carries a body of folklore around it.

Illustration representing the Cucurbitaceae family
Botanical family

Cucurbitaceae

Cucumber/Gourd family

Chayote belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family.

The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.

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Common plant problems

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