Cucumis debilis, W. J. de Wilde & Duyfjes, 2007

De Wilde, Willem J. J. O. & Duyfjes, Brigitta E. E., 2007, The wild species of Cucumis L. (Cucurbitaceae) in South-East Asia, Adansonia (3) 29 (2), pp. 239-248 : 241

1. Cucumis debilis

W.J.de Wilde & Duyfjes, sp. nov. ( Fig. 1 )

A Cucumere melo in folii apice acuto, a C. sativo et C. hystrice in ovario laeve longe pedicellato, pedicello c. 3.5 cm longo distincta.

TYPUS. — Vietnam. Tonkin , IX.1931, Pételot 2193 (holo-, P!).

DESCRIPTION

Slender herb 1-2 m tall, presumably annual, completely covered with sparse to dense minute aculeate hairs; monoecious; stem c. 1 mm diameter.Tendrils: sparsely aculeate. Leaves:blade subcircular in outline, 4-7 cm diam., or 3- or 5-subangular or -lobed, base deeply cordate, apex acute (-acuminate), margin coarsely serrate-dentate, lobes broadly triangular to 1.5 cm long, with dense spiny hairs, especially along veins on lower surface, hairs 0.2-0.5 mm long, with thick raised cystoliths at base; petiole 3-5 cm long. Male flowers: solitary or 2, or 1 with a co-axillary younger female flower; pedicel (15-) 20 mm long, with few minute spines; receptacle-tube turbinate to long cup-shaped, 5.5-6 × 3-3.5 mm, outside glabrous except odd aculeate spines, inside glabrous; sepals subpatent, c. 3 mm long, with few aculeate spines; corolla c. 6 mm long, lobes imbricate, elliptic, c. 4.5 × 3 mm, apex acute, veins outside and apex with minute stiff hairs; stamens inserted c. 2 mm below the throat of the receptacle-tube, included, filaments slender, c. 0.5 mm long, anthers oblong, 2.5-3 × 1(-1.5) mm, connective narrow, at apex produced into a more or less flat notched appendage c. 0.7 mm long; disc (pistillode) large, subgloboseobovoid, c. 2.5 × 2.5-3 mm. Female flowers:solitary or with a co-axillary male flower; pedicel 30-35 mm long, with few c. 0.1 mm long aculeate hairs; perianth seen only in immature bud and as remnant at apex of immature fruit; disc a low ring. Immature fruit: solitary, fusiform, c. 1.1 × 0.4 cm, glabrous, except for an odd aculeate spine; fruiting pedicel (immature) 3.5-4 cm long. Seeds: not known.

DISTRIBUTION AND PHENOLOGY

Cucumis debilis is endemic to N Vietnam, Tonkin, vicinity of Chapa , and known only from the type collection. The species was found in September 1931 with yellow flowers and immature fruit at an elevation of 1400 m .

Figures

FIG. 1. — Cucumis debilis W.J.de Wilde & Duyfjes: A, twig with male inflorescences;B, node with young fruit,note long fruiting pedicel; C, D, male flower, from outside and opened respectively. Pételot 2193. Scale bars: A, B, 2 cm; C, D, 2 mm.