Raphidiocystis chrysocoma
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Photo: Stefaan Dondeyne
Tava marsh, Moribane forest, Mozambique
Photo: Stefaan Dondeyne
Tava marsh, Moribane forest, Mozambique
Photo: Stefaan Dondeyne
Tava marsh, Moribane forest, Mozambique
Photo: Stefaan Dondeyne
Chimanimani conservation area, in Zomba community land, along Muvumodzi stream
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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)
| Synonyms: |
Cucumis chrysocomus Schumach. Raphidiocystis caillei Hutch & Dalziel Raphidiocystis welwitschii Hook. f. |
| Common names: | |
| Frequency: | Probably rare |
| Status: | Native |
| Description: |
Climbing herb. Stems up to 6 m long with simple tendrils. Leaves simple, ovate in outline, up to 13 × 9 cm leaflets, unlobed to shallowly 3-5-lobed, cordate at the base, variously hairy; margin with widely separated small teeth. Flowers unisexual, yellow; male flowers in 4-6-flowered clusters, female clusters 1-2-flowered on longer peduncles. Fruit subspherical to ellipsoid, up to 5 × 3.5 cm, densely covered with long spreading, reddish-yellow to reddish-brown bristles. |
| Type location: |
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| Notes: |
Note: This species appears to have a rather disjunct distribution but may well have been overlooked. It is known from widely separated populations in West Africa; northern Angola and western DRC; eastern DRC and Uganda and appearing again in coastal Tanzania. Until now it was only known from a single isolated record on the Rusitu River in Zimbabwe (Wild 5734, 24-03-1962, COI, K, SRGH). It is possible, even likely, that the species occurs elsewhere in Mozambique, linking the populations in Tanzania to the records from Moribane and Zimbabwe. |
| Derivation of specific name: | chrysocoma: with golden hair (referring to the fruits) |
| Habitat: | In riverine and evergreen forest. |
| Altitude range: (metres) | |
| Flowering time: | |
| Worldwide distribution: | From Guinée to Togo, Angola, DR Congo, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zimbabwe. |
| FZ divisions: | MS |
| Growth form(s): | |
| Endemic status: | |
| Red data list status: | |
| Insects associated with this species: | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Images last updated: | Saturday 8 August 2009 |
| Literature: |
Jeffrey, C. (1978). Cucurbitaceae Flora Zambesiaca 4 Pages 440 - 442. (Includes a picture). Keraudren-Aymonin, M. (1975). Cucurbitaceae Flore d'Afrique Centrale Jardin Botanique National de Belgique, Bruxelles Pages 72 - 74. Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 39. |
Other sources of information about Raphidiocystis chrysocoma:
Our websites:
Flora of the DRC: Raphidiocystis chrysocomaFlora of Zimbabwe: Raphidiocystis chrysocoma
External websites:
African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Raphidiocystis chrysocomaAfrican Plant Database: Raphidiocystis chrysocoma
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Raphidiocystis chrysocoma
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Raphidiocystis chrysocoma
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Raphidiocystis chrysocoma
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Raphidiocystis chrysocoma
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Raphidiocystis chrysocoma
JSTOR Plant Science: Raphidiocystis chrysocoma
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Raphidiocystis chrysocoma
Plants of the World Online: Raphidiocystis chrysocoma
Tropicos: Raphidiocystis chrysocoma
Wikipedia: Raphidiocystis chrysocoma