Manroot

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:For the morning glory called "manroot", see Wild Potato Vine (Ipomoea pandurata).The manroots or wild cucumbers (genus Marah) are flowering plants in the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae), native to western North America. They are also commonly called Old man in the ground. The genus name comes from Hebrew מָרָ֔א (mara, "bitter" - e.g. ), and was given because all parts of these plants tend to have a bitter taste.Except for the isolated range of the Gila Manroot (M. gilensis) in west-central Arizona and island populations (M. macrocarpus var. major), all manroot species inhabit overlapping ranges distributed from Southern Canada to Northern Mexico. Although Coastal Manroot (M. oreganus) extends inland into Idaho, all other manroot species except M. gilensis are confined to regions on the Pacific Ocean coast.

Description

The manroots are perennial plants, growing from a large tuberous root. Most have stout, scabrous or hairy stems, with coiling tendrils that enable them to climb up other plants; they can also grow rapidly across level ground. Their leaves tend to have multiple lobes, up to 7 in some species. The fruits are striking and easily recognised. They are large, and spherical, oval or cylindrical. At a minimum they are 3 cm in diameter, but can be up to 20 cm long, and in many species they are covered in long spines. Both leaf and fruit shape vary widely between individual plants and leaves can be particularly variable even on the same vine. The anthropomorphic common names "manroot" and "old man" derive from the swollen lobes and arm-like extensions of the unearthed tuber. On old plants, the tuber can be several meters long and weigh in excess of 100 kg.

Taxonomy and systematics

Marah species hybridize freely where ranges overlap and this, in addition to intra-species leaf and fruit variability, makes definite identification of specimens a particular challenge.A proper genetic analysis of marah phylogeny has not yet been undertaken. The standard taxonomy has been based on morphological comparisons and geographic considerations. Some authors include the manroots in genus Echinocystis. Considered as a separate genus, however, it includes six or seven species, some of them with well-defined varieties within them:
  • California Manroot, Marah fabaceus
  • Marah fabaceus var. agrestis
  • Marah fabaceus var. fabaceus
  • Gila Manroot, Marah gilensis
  • Marah guadalupensis - usually considered as an isolated population of M. macrocarpus var. major
  • Sierra Manroot, Marah horridus
  • Cucamonga Manroot, Marah macrocarpus
  • Marah macrocarpus var. macrocarpus
  • Marah macrocarpus var. major
  • Marah macrocarpus var. micranthus
  • Coastal Manroot, Marah oreganus
  • Taw Manroot, Marah watsonii

    • Use by humans

    Marah oreganus was used by Native Americans for various problems. The Chinook made a poultice from the gourd. The Squaxin mashed the upper stalk in water to dip aching hands. The Chehalis burned the root and mixed the resulting powder with bear grease to apply to scrofula sores. The Coast Salish made a decoction to treat venereal disease, kidney trouble and scrofula sores.Like many medicinal plants, at least some Marah species are toxic if ingested and deaths have been reported from ingesting them.Seeds of Marah fabaceus have been reported as being hallucinogenic. The tubers of M. fabaceus and M. macrocarpus contain saponins which can act as a natural soap.

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