An endemic species from Socotra, an island off the southeast coast of Yemen, this unique tree is a pachycaul cucurbit. The leaves are typical cucurbit, grayish green with a crinkled, fringed margin. The plants are monoecious with separate male-female flowers on the same plant. This species is difficult to grow in Tucson and appears to require considerably more humidity than what typically occurs in the Sonoran Desert. These plants are seedlings in 4-inch pots.