Cucumber is a trailing or climbing annual herb. The stem bears elongated, thick, cylindrical fruits of varying sizes and forms.
The shoot and leaves contain a 14a-methyl D-phytosterol. The seeds possess cooling, tonic and diuretic properties. Cucumber pulp yields shikimate dehydrogenase, which is used in sunscreen lotion.
It is also known as Trapusha and Sukasa.
