Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest and east in the Columbia River Gorge in Washington; British Columbia to California, also rarely in Hells Canyon in Idaho.

Habitat: Low elevation fields, thickets and open areas.

Flowers: April-June

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Bees, flies

Perennial vine from a large, woody, tuberous root; stems herbaceous, leafy, bearing tendrils.

Alternate, to 20 cm long, shallowly lobed and cordate at base.

White, 6-12 mm across with 5 flaring lobes (or sometimes 6-8); male flowers in racemes, female flowers mostly single in axil at base of racemes.

Green, weakly spiny, inflated gourd-like fruits 3-8 cm long with several large seeds inside.

Look for the mostly 5-lobed white flowers and inflated gourd-like fruits. Compare with grapes (family Vitaceae) which have woody stems and more mumerous minute unshowy flowers.