Cucumis maderaspatanus L.

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Vunduzi River below Bunga Ranger Camp, northwestern Gorongosa National Park.

Photo: Bart Wursten
Near the end of Fenella Drive, Monavale Vlei

Photo: Mark Hyde
National Botanic Garden, Harare

Photo: Mark Hyde
10, Sims Road, Mt Pleasant, Harare

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Synonyms:	Bryonia cordifolia L. Bryonia scabrella L. Coccinia cordifolia (L.) Cogn. Melothria maderaspatana (L.) Cogn. Mukia maderaspatana (L.) M. Roem. Mukia scabrella (L.) Arn.
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Prostrate or climbing herb. Stems, leaves and tendrils with rough, whitish hairs. The leaves are variable, broadly ovate to triangular or palmately 3(-5) lobed, margin serrate. Flowers small, yellow in axillary clusters. Fruit globose, 6-11 mm in diameter, smooth and hairless, green with paler stripes when young, bright red when ripe.
Type location:	India
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	maderaspatanus: from the Madras region of India
Habitat:	A climber of damp places in woodland, grassland and riverine margins.
Altitude range: (metres)	166 - 1500 m
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Throughout the Old World Tropics including New Guinea and Australia.
FZ divisions:	N,Z,MS,M
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:	Tuesday 16 June 2015
Literature:	Heath, A. & Heath, R. (2009). Field Guide to the Plants of Northern Botswana including the Okavango Delta Kew Publishing Page 245. (Includes a picture). Jeffrey, C. (1978). Cucurbitaceae Flora Zambesiaca 4 Pages 475 - 477. (Includes a picture). 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 38. Ntore, S. & al. (2024). Checklist of the vascular plants of Burundi Page 90. Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 45. Pooley, E. (1998). A Field Guide to the Wild Flowers of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Region. Natal Flora Publications Trust. Durban. Pages 78 - 79. (Includes a picture). Reekmans, M. (1983). Cucurbitaceae Flore du Rwanda Spermatophytes Volume II Page 466. Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 53.

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Flora of Botswana: Cucumis maderaspatanus
Flora of Burundi: Cucumis maderaspatanus
Flora of Caprivi: Cucumis maderaspatanus
Flora of the DRC: Cucumis maderaspatanus
Flora of Malawi: Cucumis maderaspatanus
Flora of Rwanda: Cucumis maderaspatanus
Flora of Zambia: Cucumis maderaspatanus
Flora of Zimbabwe: Cucumis maderaspatanus

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Cucumis maderaspatanus
African Plant Database: Cucumis maderaspatanus
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Cucumis maderaspatanus
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Cucumis maderaspatanus
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Cucumis maderaspatanus
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iNaturalist: Cucumis maderaspatanus
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Cucumis maderaspatanus
JSTOR Plant Science: Cucumis maderaspatanus
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Cucumis maderaspatanus
Plants of the World Online: Cucumis maderaspatanus
Tropicos: Cucumis maderaspatanus
Wikipedia: Cucumis maderaspatanus