Siraitia africana (C.Jeffrey) Lu & Zhang (1984: 30)

Umoh, Omodot Timothy & Bassey, Margaret Emmanuel, 2021, Morphology and distribution of species of the family Cucurbitaceae in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, Phytotaxa 508 (2), pp. 107-128 : 122

9. Siraitia africana (C.Jeffrey) Lu & Zhang (1984: 30) ( Fig. 11 )

Basionym:— Thladiantha africana Jeffrey (1962: 361) ; Homotypic synonym:— Microlagenaria africana (C.Jeffrey) A.M.Lu & J.Q.Li in Li (1993: 53).

Local Name: —Ndise Ekpo (Annang and Ibibio).

Common Name: —Wild pumkin.

Habitat: —Fallow bush.

Description: —Herb, trailing by means of tendrils, could also be pendant hanging from height up to 20 m high. Stem pubescent, angular, 0.4–0.5 cm diam.; tendrils 2-fid, spirally coiled above and below fork. Leaves simple, petiolate, alternate, acuminate, dentate, palmately lobed, villous on both surfaces, 6–18 × 6–19 cm; petiole pubescent, cylindrical, 5–6 cm long. Inflorescence axillary. Fruit pepos, round, pubescent, green and chalky, with white lines appearing vertically on fruit from stalk to tip, stalk 1.5 cm long, bearing terminal leaf. Seed lanceolate, milky, 0.1–0.3 × 0.1 cm.

Location in Akwa Ibom:— Obot Akara and Mkpat Enin.

Abundance:— It was present in 13% of sampling plots and was rare.

Figures

FIGURE 11. Siraitia africana. A. Fruiting plant in habitat. B. Morphological features showing (A) Leaf. (B) Tendrils. (C) Seed. (D) Fruit.