Marah macrocarpa

Chilicothe
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Cucurbitales
Family: Cucurbitaceae
Genus: Marah
Species:
M. macrocarpa
Binomial name
Marah macrocarpa
(Greene) Greene
Synonyms
  • Marah macrocarpus (orthographic variant)
  • Echinocystis macrocarpaGreene
  • Marah leptocarpa (Greene) Greene
  • Megarrhiza californica S.Watson
  • Megarrhiza macrocarpa (Greene) Tidestr.
  • Micrampelis leptocarpa(Greene) Greene
  • Micrampelis macrocarpa (Greene) Greene

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.