Alsomitra
Encyclopedia
Alsomitra is a genus
of the plant family Cucurbitaceae
(the cucumber
, squash
, and pumpkin
family).
The seeds of Alsomitra macrocarpa
are among the largest winged seeds in the Plant Kingdom and their shape inspired Igo Etrich
to build glider
s, later it would inspire the Horten brothers
to build the first flying wing
aircraft.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of the plant family Cucurbitaceae
Cucurbitaceae
The plant family Cucurbitaceae consists of various squashes, melons, and gourds, including crops such as cucumber, pumpkins, luffas, and watermelons...
(the cucumber
Cucumber
The cucumber is a widely cultivated plant in the gourd family Cucurbitaceae, which includes squash, and in the same genus as the muskmelon. The plant is a creeping vine which bears cylindrical edible fruit when ripe. There are three main varieties of cucumber: "slicing", "pickling", and...
, squash
Squash (fruit)
Squashes generally refer to four species of the genus Cucurbita, also called marrows depending on variety or the nationality of the speaker...
, and pumpkin
Pumpkin
A pumpkin is a gourd-like squash of the genus Cucurbita and the family Cucurbitaceae . It commonly refers to cultivars of any one of the species Cucurbita pepo, Cucurbita mixta, Cucurbita maxima, and Cucurbita moschata, and is native to North America...
family).
The seeds of Alsomitra macrocarpa
Alsomitra macrocarpa
Alsomitra macrocarpa or Javan cucumber is a gourd-bearing liane, belonging to the pumpkin family from the tropical Asian forests of the Malay Archipelago and the Indonesian islands...
are among the largest winged seeds in the Plant Kingdom and their shape inspired Igo Etrich
Igo Etrich
Ignaz "Igo" Etrich , Austrian flight pioneer, pilot and fixed-wing aircraft developer.- Education :...
to build glider
Glider aircraft
Glider aircraft are heavier-than-air craft that are supported in flight by the dynamic reaction of the air against their lifting surfaces, and whose free flight does not depend on an engine. Mostly these types of aircraft are intended for routine operation without engines, though engine failure can...
s, later it would inspire the Horten brothers
Horten brothers
Walter Horten and Reimar Horten , sometimes credited as the Horten Brothers, were German aircraft pilots and enthusiasts, and members of the Hitler Youth and Nazi party...
to build the first flying wing
Flying wing
A flying wing is a tailless fixed-wing aircraft which has no definite fuselage, with most of the crew, payload and equipment being housed inside the main wing structure....
aircraft.
Selected species
- Alsomitra angulata
- Alsomitra angustipetala
- Alsomitra balansae
- Alsomitra beccariana
- Alsomitra brasiliensis
- Alsomitra capricornica
- Alsomitra macrocarpaAlsomitra macrocarpaAlsomitra macrocarpa or Javan cucumber is a gourd-bearing liane, belonging to the pumpkin family from the tropical Asian forests of the Malay Archipelago and the Indonesian islands...
- Javan cucumber
External links
- Wind dispersal of seeds
- Alsomitra macrocarpa seed
- Andres, T. C. 2004. Web site for the plant family Cucurbitaceae & home of The Cucurbit Network.
- KBD: Kew Bibliographic Databases of Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- Species list
- BBC - Vine seeds become 'giant gliders'