Coccinia ogadensis Thulin, Kew Bull. 64: 485. 2009.

Holstein, Norbert, 2015, Monograph of Coccinia (Cucurbitaceae), PhytoKeys 54, pp. 1-166 : 98-99

15. Coccinia ogadensis Thulin, Kew Bull. 64: 485. 2009.

Coccinia ogadensis Type: Ethiopia. Somali Region: Harerge, 5 km S of Qarsonney, female, fr, 15 May 2006, M. Thulin et al. 11183 (Holotype: ETH; isotypes: K! [K000543219, digital image: K], UPS!).

Coccinia ogadensis Type: [Ethiopia]. [Somali Region]: Somaliland, Harradigi [Harradigit], Mar 1885, F.L. James & J.G. Thrupp s.n. (Paratype: K!).

Coccinia ogadensis Type: [Ethiopia]. [Somali Region]: Somaliland, Harradiqi [Harradigit] or Boobi, Mar or Apr 1885, F.L. James & J.G. Thrupp s.n. (Paratype: K!).

Coccinia ogadensis Type: [Ethiopia]. [Somali Region]: Agar Ven [Agar Uen], 6°30'N, 45°20'E, 2500 ft [c. 760 m], red sandy soil, bushland, 25 Oct 1953, P. Ellis 163 (Paratypes: FT!, K (2)!).

Coccinia ogadensis Type: [Ethiopia]. [Somali Region]: W of Shillavo (Scillave) [Shilabo], 6°25'N, 44°42'E, 1300 ft [c. 400 m], sandy soil, bushland, Nov 1955, P. Ellis 383 (Paratype: K!).

Coccinia ogadensis Type: [Ethiopia]. [Somali Region]: E of Gorrahei [Korahe], 700 m, 1 Nov 1967, P.R.O. Bally 12989 (Paratypes: G!, K!).

Coccinia ogadensis Type: [Ethiopia]. [Somali Region]: Scillave [Shilabo]-Wardere road, 6°13'N, 44°45'E, 1130 ft [c. 344 m], red sandy soil, open bushland, male, fl, 2 Apr 1956, J. Simmons S63 (Paratypes: EA!, K!).

Coccinia ogadensis Type: [Ethiopia]. [Somali Region]: 11 km NE Scillave [Shilabo], 6°10'N, 44°52'E, 1300 ft [c. 400 m], red sandy soil, open bushland, 13 Apr 1956, J. Simmons S179 (Paratypes: EA!, K!).

Coccinia ogadensis Type: Somalia. [Mudug]: 47 miles [75 km] from Galkayo [Gaalkacyo] on Garoe [Garoowe] road, c. 1000 ft [c. 300 m], red sandy loam and limestone ridges, 15 Oct 1959, C.F. Hemming 1713 (Paratypes EA!, K!).

Description.

Perennial? climber or trailer. Stems up to 2 m or longer. Stems glabrous, except for nodes with short trichomes, sometimes white pustulate. Petioles 4-15 mm long, glabrous or nearly so. Leaves deeply (3- or) 5-pedately lobate. Central lobe 2-8.5 cm long, 1-8 mm wide, lateral lobes shorter. Lobes entire or dentate to lobulate, linear to oblanceolate. Leaf margins often revolute, apex obtuse with final (brownish? colored) tooth to acute. Upper leaf surface glabrous, pale to white pustulate; pustules up to 5 mm in diam. Lower leaf surface glabrous, at base with pale aureolate glands between nerves. Probracts <1 mm with short, whitish trichomes. Tendrils simple. Male flowers solitary, clustered, or in few-flowered racemes. Common peduncle up to 2 cm, glabrous. Pedicels up to 4-20 mm long, subglabrous to glabrous. Perianth tube glabrous, calyx lobes 1-6 mm long, in buds erect, later reflexed, glabrous or nearly so, lineal to narrowly triangulate. Corolla 1.7-2.5 cm, white with green veins or yellow, lobes 0.7-1.3 cm. Petals inside with multicellular trichomes, outside with short, oligocellular trichomes. Color of filament column, anther head, and pollen sacs not seen. Female flowers not seen, but very likely solitary, pedicels, hypanthium/perianth tube, calyx lobes and petals not largely differing from male flowers. Fruits spindle-shaped to shortly cylindrical, 4.5-5.5 cm long, c. 1.5 cm in diameter, sometimes with short apical tip ( “beaked”). Unripe green with elongate with spots, turning red with whitish, elongate spots. Seeds 4-5.5 × 2-2.5 × 1-1.5 mm (L/W/H), slightly asymmetrically obovate, face flatly lenticular.

Phenology.

Flowering time: Imperfectly known, flowering in April and in October and November during rainy seasons.

Distribution.

Fig. 35. Eastern Ethiopia (C and E Somali Region), Central Somalia (Mugud). Elevation 300 to 800 m. Red sand and sandy loam, limestone soils. Open Acacia - Commiphora bushland, Cordeauxia edulis bushland, semi-desert.

Use.

Fruits are reported to be edible, juicy, and thirst-quenching (P.R.O. Bally 12989).

Vernacular names.

Somali: dudu (P.R.O. Bally 12989), ilgeel ( Thulin 2009), Somali?: lehailu (J. Simmons S179), Somali?: salo dudub (J. Simmons S63).

Remarks.

This species is similar to collections of Coccinia grandis with deeply lobate leaves (described as Coccinia palmatisecta ). However, the lobules in Coccinia grandis are much more distinct when the lobulation is that deep. Apart from this, fruit and seed shape of Coccinia ogadensis resemble that of Coccinia adoensis .

Ellis notes on the collections no. 163 and 383 a smell of rotten meat. However, it is unclear, whether this is coming from the flowers or from crushed leaves. Several cucurbit species have a putrid smell when crushed, such as Kedrostis foetidissima or Momordica foetida , but this has never been reported for a Coccinia species.

Specimens examined.

(in total: 10). Ethiopia. Somali Region: Ogaden, J. Simmons 64 (EA).