Ecballium is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cucurbitaceae containing a single species, Ecballium elaterium, also called the squirting cucumber or exploding cucumber. Its unusual common name derives from the ripe fruit squirting a stream of mucilaginous liquid containing its seeds as a means of seed dispersal, an example of rapid plant movement.

The Cucurbitaceae, also called cucurbits or the gourd family, are a plant family consisting of about 965 species in around 95 genera. Those most important to humans are the following:Cucurbita – squash, pumpkin, zucchini or courgette, some gourds Lagenaria – calabash, and others that are inedible Citrullus – watermelon and others Cucumis – cucumber, various melons and vines Momordica – bitter melon Luffa – the common name is also luffa, sometimes spelled loofah Cyclanthera – Caigua