Lagenaria sphaerica
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Photo: Bart Wursten
Catapu, Sofala
Photo: Bart Wursten
Catapu, Sofala
Photo: Bart Wursten
Catapu, Sofala
Photo: Bart Wursten
Along road from entrance gate to Chitengo, Gorongosa National Park
Photo: Bart Wursten
Nyamuakwarara River, John Meikle Research Station
Photo: Bart Wursten
Nyamuakwarara River, John Meikle Research Station
Photo: Bart Wursten
Nyamuakwarara River, John Meikle Research Station
Photo: Bart Wursten
Nyamuakwarara River, John Meikle Research Station
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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)
| Synonyms: |
Lagenaria mascarena Naud. Luffa sphaerica Sond. Sphaerosicyos sphaericus (Cogn.) Sond. |
| Common names: | |
| Frequency: | |
| Status: | Native |
| Description: |
Perennial climber with annual stems, up to 10 m long. Tendrils 2-fid. Leaves up to 19 × 22 cm, broadly ovate in outline, deeply 5-lobed, dark green above, paler and densely puberulous below; cordate at the base; margin with coarse sinuate teeth. Flowers unisexual on different plants, in racemes or solitary; white with green veins. Fruit almost round, smooth, up to 12 × 11 cm, dark green with smaller and larger pale patches. |
| Type location: |
Syntypes from KwaZulu-Natal |
| Notes: | |
| Derivation of specific name: | |
| Habitat: | In riverine forest and thickets |
| Altitude range: (metres) | Up to 1700 m |
| Flowering time: | |
| Worldwide distribution: | From Somalia to the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Also in Madagascar and the Comoros. |
| FZ divisions: | N,MS,GI,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: | Monday 8 June 2009 |
| Literature: |
Baumann, G. (2005). Photographic Guide to Wildflowers of Malawi Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi Pages 88 - 89. (Includes a picture). Jeffrey, C. (1978). Cucurbitaceae Flora Zambesiaca 4 Pages 438 - 439. (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. Reekmans, M. (1983). Cucurbitaceae Flore du Rwanda Spermatophytes Volume II Page 460. Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 53. |
Other sources of information about Lagenaria sphaerica:
Our websites:
Flora of Botswana: Lagenaria sphaericaFlora of Burundi: Lagenaria sphaerica
Flora of the DRC: Lagenaria sphaerica
Flora of Malawi: Lagenaria sphaerica
Flora of Rwanda: Lagenaria sphaerica
Flora of Zambia: Lagenaria sphaerica
Flora of Zimbabwe: Lagenaria sphaerica
External websites:
African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Lagenaria sphaericaAfrican Plant Database: Lagenaria sphaerica
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Lagenaria sphaerica
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Lagenaria sphaerica
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Lagenaria sphaerica
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Lagenaria sphaerica
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Lagenaria sphaerica
JSTOR Plant Science: Lagenaria sphaerica
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Lagenaria sphaerica
Plants of the World Online: Lagenaria sphaerica
Tropicos: Lagenaria sphaerica
Wikipedia: Lagenaria sphaerica