Prickly paddy melon

Family: Cucurbitaceae
Scientific name: Cucumis myriocarpus
Description: Plant Form: Creeping annual herb. Size: Up to 2 m tall. Stem: Cylindrical, rough, green. Leaves: Alternating along stem, up to 8 cm long and wide, nearly hairless upper, hairy to bristly below, deeply lobed. Flowers: Small, yellow, inconspicuous to 6 mm diameter, in clusters of 2-4. Fruit and Seeds: Green to yellow elliptical melon, occasionally striped or mottled, with soft and often hooked spines. Habitat: Grassy areas, open woodlands, roadsides, streams. Distinguishing Features: Similar to Afghan melon (Citrullus lanatus) which has larger fruit (up to 15 cm diameter) without spines, and also larger brown seeds. Weed Status: Priority Weed Weed Type: Agricultural, Invasive Garden Escapee Lifeform: Herbaceous

Example images for this weed