Cucumis Colocynthis

Cucumber \Cu"cum*ber\ (k?`k?m-b?r, formerly kou"k?m-b?r), n.
   [OE. cucumer, cocumber, cucumber, fr. L. cucmis,
   gen.cucumeris; cf. OF. cocombre,F. concombre.] (Bot.)
   A creeping plant, and its fruit, of several species of the
   genus {Cucumis}, esp. {Cucumis sativus}, the unripe fruit of
   which is eaten either fresh or picked. Also, similar plants
   or fruits of several other genera. See below.
   [1913 Webster]

   {Bitter cucumber} (Bot.), the {Citrullus Colocynthis} syn.
      {Cucumis Colocynthis}. See {Colocynth}.

   {Cucumber beetle.} (Zool.)
   (a) A small, black flea-beetle ({Crepidodera cucumeris}),
       which destroys the leaves of cucumber, squash, and melon
       vines.
   (b) The squash beetle.

   {Cucumber tree}.
   (a) A large ornamental or shade tree of the genus {Magnolia}
       {(Magnolia acuminata)}, so called from a slight
       resemblance of its young fruit to a small cucumber.
   (b) An East Indian plant ({Averrhoa Bilimbi}) which produces
       the fruit known as bilimbi.

   {Jamaica cucumber}, {Jerusalem cucumber}, the prickly-fruited
      gherkin ({Cucumis Anguria}).

   {Snake cucumber}, a species ({Cucumis flexuosus}) remarkable
      for its long, curiously-shaped fruit.

   {Squirting cucumber}, a plant ({Ecbalium Elaterium}) whose
      small oval fruit separates from the footstalk when ripe
      and expels its seeds and juice with considerable force
      through the opening thus made. See {Elaterium}.

   {Star cucumber}, a climbing weed ({Sicyos angulatus}) with
      prickly fruit.
      [1913 Webster]
    

Colocynth \Col"ocynth\, n. [L. colocynthis, Gr. ?. Cf.
   {Coloquintida}.] (Med.)
   The light spongy pulp of the fruit of the bitter cucumber
   ({Citrullus colocynthis}, or {Cucumis colocynthis}), an
   Asiatic plant allied to the watermelon; coloquintida. It
   comes in white balls, is intensely bitter, and a powerful
   cathartic. Called also {bitter apple}, {bitter cucumber},
   {bitter gourd}.
   [1913 Webster]