How does the squirting cucumber squirt?
Illustration of a squirting cucumber (Ecballium elaterium) dispersing its seeds. | Photo Credit: Getty Images The squirting cucumber (Ecballium elaterium) is named for the ballistic method the species uses to disperse its seeds. When ripe, the ovoid-shaped fruits detach from the stem and eject the seeds explosively in a high-pressure jet of mucilage. This projectile…