Coccinia Wight & Arn.

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit

Perennial climbing or trailing herbs or softly woody climbers with tuberous rootstock

Morphology Leaves

Leaves simple

Morphology General Tendrils

Tendrils simple or 2-fid

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Dioecious

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Male flowers solitary or clustered Female flowers solitary

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Hypanthium

Hypanthium obconic to campanulate Hypanthium shortly cylindrical

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals 5, entire, usually small and remote

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals 5, united in the lower half

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens usually 3, usually all two-thecous, inserted on the hypanthium; filaments coherent or connate into a central column; anthers coherent or connate into a globose head; connectives broad; thecae flexuous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary smooth

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary Ovules

Ovules numerous, horizontal

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth

Perianth like that of male flower

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Stigma

Stigmas 3

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit globose to cylindrical, terete or slightly angled, thin-walled, fleshy, bright red when ripe, many-seeded

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds ovate or elliptic in outline, ± compressed, often fibrillose.

Distribution

About 30 species in the palaeotropics, all but one confined to Africa.

Cucurbitaceae, C. Jeffrey. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1967

Morphology General Habit

Medium-sized climbers or trailers

Morphology Leaves

Leaves simple, usually very variable in shape

Morphology General Tendrils

Tendrils simple or proximally bifid

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts

Probracts present

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers medium to large, orange-buff, yellow or brownish-yellow, rarely whitish, often green-veined, dioecious Female flowers solitary or rarely racemose; ovary smooth; ovules many, horizontal; stigma 3-lobed Male flowers solitary, clustered or more usually shortly racemose; receptacle-tube relatively short and broad; lobes entire, often small and dentiform, less often large and calyx-like; corolla distinctly gamopetalous, 5-lobed; lobes entire and devoid of basal scales inside; stamens usually 3, all 2-thecous, sometimes two 2-thecous, one 1-thecous, more rarely stamens 2 or 4; filaments inserted on the tube, connate or coherent apically or sometimes along their whole length then forming a central column, less often free; anthers connate or more usually coherent at the base into a globose head, rarely free; connectives broad; thecae triplicate and usually also transversely ± convoluted

sex Male

Male flowers solitary, clustered or more usually shortly racemose; receptacle-tube relatively short and broad; lobes entire, often small and dentiform, less often large and calyx-like; corolla distinctly gamopetalous, 5-lobed; lobes entire and devoid of basal scales inside; stamens usually 3, all 2-thecous, sometimes two 2-thecous, one 1-thecous, more rarely stamens 2 or 4; filaments inserted on the tube, connate or coherent apically or sometimes along their whole length then forming a central column, less often free; anthers connate or more usually coherent at the base into a globose head, rarely free; connectives broad; thecae triplicate and usually also transversely ± convoluted

sex Female

Female flowers solitary or rarely racemose; ovary smooth; ovules many, horizontal; stigma 3-lobed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit small to moderately large, globose to elongate-cylindrical, fleshy, terete or less often longitudinally ribbed, baccate, indehiscent, with thin pericarp, red or red mottled with green

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds small, ± compressed, ovate in outline; testa fibrillose

Figures

Fig. 8.