Cucurbitaceae

Gerrardanthus Harv. ex Benth. & Hook.f.

First published in Gen. Pl. 1: 840 (1867)
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is Tropical & S. Africa.

Descriptions

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

Morphology General Habit
Medium to rather large usually tuberous-rooted climbers, with the stems becoming somewhat woody when old
Morphology Leaves
Leaves simple; blade ovate-cordate in outline, unlobed or palmately 3–5-lobed
Morphology General Tendrils
Tendrils apically bifid
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers rather small, yellowish- or brownish-orange, dioecious, practically regular to strongly zygomorphic Female flowers in rather few-flowered panicles; ovary trigonous; ovules several, pendulous; perianth as in ♂ flowers; styles 3 Male flowers in few- to many-flowered panicles; receptacle-tube shallow, saucer-shaped; lobes small, dentiform; petals 5, usually somewhat unequal; stamens 5, all 1-thecous, in 2 pairs with 1 single, the single stamen usually reduced to a staminode; anthers of paired stamens adpressed to one another; connective apically appendaged; thecae short, straight
sex Male
Male flowers in few- to many-flowered panicles; receptacle-tube shallow, saucer-shaped; lobes small, dentiform; petals 5, usually somewhat unequal; stamens 5, all 1-thecous, in 2 pairs with 1 single, the single stamen usually reduced to a staminode; anthers of paired stamens adpressed to one another; connective apically appendaged; thecae short, straight
sex Female
Female flowers in rather few-flowered panicles; ovary trigonous; ovules several, pendulous; perianth as in ♂ flowers; styles 3
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit a flask-shaped trigonous pendulous capsule, dry, brownish and opening by an apical triradiate slit when ripe
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds fusiform, with a large membranous wing.
Figures
Fig. 25, p. 146.
Distribution
Three species in tropical Africa, two in South Africa.
[FTEA]

Cucurbitaceae, C. Jeffrey. Flora Zambesiaca 4. 1978

Morphology General Habit
Scandent herbs, stems becoming woody when old, usually arising from perennial tuberous rootstock.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves simple, petiolate.
Morphology General Tendrils
Tendrils apically 2-fid.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
female flowers solitary or few-fasciculate; ovary trigonous; ovules several, pendulous; perianth similar to that of male flowers; styles 3. Male flowers in paniculoid axillary fascicles. Receptacle-tube broad, shallow, lobes small. Petals 5, free, unequal. Stamens 4, all 1-thecous, in 2 pairs united by their anthers; fifth stamen reduced to a subulate staminode; filaments inserted on receptacle-tube; connective apically ± produced; thecae short, straight. Flowers small, brownish, dioecious, ± zygomorphic.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit an obconic-cylindric, trigonous capsule, dry, brownish, dehiscent by an apical triradiate slit.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds elongated, narrow, with an apical membraneous wing.
[FZ]

Sources

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2023. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2022 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2023. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2022 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0