Native to Washington and most commonly occurring on the west side of the state, manroot(Marah oreganus) is a perennial vine in the Cucurbitaceae family. The east side counterpart is an annual species, wild cucumber (Echinocystis lobata). Manroot's inflorescence consists of a tubular corolla with five flaring lobes (pictured above). Fruits are an inflated gourd-like structure covered in spines (pictured below). This individual was photographed in Pioneer Park in Tumwater. The Cucurbitaceae family also includes pumpkins, squash and zucchini - key characteristics of the family are the vining habit, tendrils, and funnel-shaped flowers that form large, three- to four-celled fruits (Elpel).
