Abobra tenuifolia

Abobra tenuifolia is a climbing perennial herb in the family Cucurbitaceae, order Cucurbitales. It is the sole species of the genus Abobra, making it a monotypic genus. Native to southern South America, it is found primarily in Argentina, Uruguay, and southern Brazil, where it grows as a vine in moist, disturbed habitats, forest edges, hedgerows, and scrublands. The specific epithet tenuifolia means slender- or thin-leaved, reflecting the plant's characteristically narrow, deeply divided leaves, which give it a delicate, fern-like appearance quite different from the broad-leaved habit typical of many cucurbits such as cucumbers and melons. The plant is a tuberous-rooted perennial that dies back to the ground each winter and regenerates from its underground storage organ, an adaptation to seasonal cold and drought. Its slender climbing stems may reach several metres in length, using tendrils for support. Flowers are small, white, and star-shaped, with separate male and female flowers borne on the same plant. The fruit is a small, ovoid berry about 1 centimetre in diameter, red to scarlet when ripe, and contains several seeds. While the fruits are ornamental, they are considered toxic. Abobra tenuifolia grows in the southern subtropical and warm-temperate regions of South America, often associated with Pampean grasslands and gallery forest margins. It is occasionally grown as an ornamental vine in temperate gardens for its attractive foliage and colourful fruits.