Cucumis is a genus of 32 species, indigenous mainly to Africa, also Asia, Australia and some islands in the Pacific. It includes two major commercial vegetable crops: Cucumus sativus which includes cucumbers from Asia and Cucumis melo which includes melons from Africa and Australasia, and two minor ones: the West Indian gherkin, Cucumis anguria and the Kiwano, Cucumis metuliferus. These last two species became cultivated crops outside their native Africa. The species name africanus refers to the natural distribution area of this plant. The genus name Cucumis is the Latin name for the cucumber which was already cultivated in Ancient Egypt.

Cucumis zeyheri is a South African indigenous species found in the Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape and North West Provinces. Commonly known as Bitterappel, Wilde-agurkie or Wildekomkommer in Afrikaans and Wild Cucumber in English it is a wild African cucumber bearing small, spiny fruits. The fruits are generally considered inedible as they are quite bitter though some plants may produce less bitter fruits. The species is of main interest as an ornamental. Over time it will produce an interesting caudex base. Fairly fast growing vine to several feet in all directions. It is a perennial, but shoots die back out of season and grow from the woody base the following year. Like common cucumbers, this species has unisex flowers, but both male and female flowers are produced on the same plant. The fruits grow to around 5cm and are coloured green, often with off colour spots. Fruits are covered in spines and ripen to a pale yellow.