Coccinia mildbraedii Gilg ex Harms

Cucurbitaceae, C. Jeffrey. Flora Zambesiaca 4. 1978

Morphology General Habit

Scandent to 10 m. or more.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-lamina 6·5–17·5 × 7·5–19 cm., ovate to suborbicular in outline, cordate, glabrous except on main veins, punctate above and on main veins beneath, palmately 5-lobed, lobes triangular to ovate or elliptic, ± denticulate, acuminate, apiculate, the central largest.

Morphology Leaves Petiole

Petioles 2·4–9 cm. long, finely pubescent.

Morphology General Tendrils

Tendrils 2-fid.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Probract

Probracts 2–8 mm. long, spathulate to suborbicular.

sex Male

male flowers in solitary or paired 2–15-flowered racemes; peduncles 1·5–5·5 cm. long, axillary or at nodes on leafless terminal branches and then forming lax compound inflorescences; pedicels 2–9 mm. long. Receptacle-tube 3–6 mm. long, obconic, expanded above, lobes 1–4·5 mm. long, subulate. Corolla pale orange-yellow to brownish, the lobes 8–17 mm. long, united to middle or above.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Female flowers solitary; peduncles 1·8–3·4 cm. long; ovary 20–32 mm. long, cylindrical; receptacle-tube 4–5 mm. long, lobes 1·5–4 mm. long, triangular to lanceolate; corolla 16–25 mm. long. male flowers in solitary or paired 2–15-flowered racemes; peduncles 1·5–5·5 cm. long, axillary or at nodes on leafless terminal branches and then forming lax compound inflorescences; pedicels 2–9 mm. long. Receptacle-tube 3–6 mm. long, obconic, expanded above, lobes 1–4·5 mm. long, subulate. Corolla pale orange-yellow to brownish, the lobes 8–17 mm. long, united to middle or above.

sex Female

Female flowers solitary; peduncles 1·8–3·4 cm. long; ovary 20–32 mm. long, cylindrical; receptacle-tube 4–5 mm. long, lobes 1·5–4 mm. long, triangular to lanceolate; corolla 16–25 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit 10–19·5 × 2–5 cm., red, cylindrical; peduncle 3–8·5 cm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 6–7·5 × 4–5 × 1·3–1·5 mm., ovoid, compressed; testa becoming ± fibrillose.

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

Morphology General Habit

Stout climber to 10 m. or more; stems herbaceous, subglabrous to densely rather long crisped-pubescent.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blade ovate-triangular, ovate-reniform or ovate-suborbicular in outline, cordate, entire or sinuate and ± distinctly to coarsely toothed, acute, acuminate and apiculate, glabrous except on the nerves, ± punctate, the nerves beneath often marked with conspicuous pale dots, 65–175 mm. long, 75–190 mm. broad, palmately 5-lobed; lobes triangular, broadest at the base, or ovate to ovate-lanceolate or elliptic, narrowed at the base; petioles 24–90 mm. long, with fine forward-pointing or with crisped hairs, becoming ± white-dotted when old.

Morphology General Tendrils

Tendrils bifid.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts

Probracts narrowly spathulate to suborbicular, 2–8 mm. long, up to 9 mm. across.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Male flowers in solitary or paired 2–15 mm. long 2–15-flowered racemes carried on 35–56 mm. long peduncles, usually with a coaxillary long-pedicellate solitary flower, or in compound racemes 45–130 mm. long each bearing 2–7 short side branches of 5–12 flowers in subumbelliform or shortly racemiform groups; pedicels of racemose flowers 2–9 mm. long; receptacle-tube obconic, expanded above with a narrow horizontal rim at the mouth, 3–6 mm. long; lobes triangular to triangular-subulate, 1–4.5 mm. long, reflexed when long; corolla campanulate-urceolate, pale lemon-yellow, brownish-cream, cream or white, veined green or brown, 8–17 mm. long, with the segments united in lower half or three-quarters; stamens 3, two 2-thecous, one 1-thecous or all 2-thecous; anthers coherent into a globose head. Female flowers solitary, on 18–34 mm. stalks; ovary 20–32 mm. long, 2–5 mm. across, slightly hairy; receptacle-tube campanulate-cylindrical, 4–5 mm. long; lobes triangular or triangular-subulate to lanceolate, 1.5–4 mm. long; corolla 16–25 mm. long, with the segments united in lower half or two-thirds.

sex Male

Male flowers in solitary or paired 2–15 mm. long 2–15-flowered racemes carried on 35–56 mm. long peduncles, usually with a coaxillary long-pedicellate solitary flower, or in compound racemes 45–130 mm. long each bearing 2–7 short side branches of 5–12 flowers in subumbelliform or shortly racemiform groups; pedicels of racemose flowers 2–9 mm. long; receptacle-tube obconic, expanded above with a narrow horizontal rim at the mouth, 3–6 mm. long; lobes triangular to triangular-subulate, 1–4.5 mm. long, reflexed when long; corolla campanulate-urceolate, pale lemon-yellow, brownish-cream, cream or white, veined green or brown, 8–17 mm. long, with the segments united in lower half or three-quarters; stamens 3, two 2-thecous, one 1-thecous or all 2-thecous; anthers coherent into a globose head.

sex Female

Female flowers solitary, on 18–34 mm. stalks; ovary 20–32 mm. long, 2–5 mm. across, slightly hairy; receptacle-tube campanulate-cylindrical, 4–5 mm. long; lobes triangular or triangular-subulate to lanceolate, 1.5–4 mm. long; corolla 16–25 mm. long, with the segments united in lower half or two-thirds.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit on a 32–85 mm. long stalk, cylindrical, fleshy, orange-red or red and sometimes white-spotted, 100–195 mm. long, 20–50 mm. across, with red astringent pulp.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds embedded in pockets of clear red pulp, ovoid, compressed, 6–7.5 × 4–5 × 1.3–1.5 mm.; testa with a fibrillose hyaline outer layer.

Habitat

Upland rain-forest and moist bamboo thicket; 1800–2450 m.

Distribution

T2 T4 T7 U2

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/158095/760660

Conservation

EN - endangered

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

Morphology General Habit

Climber; stems herbaceous, grooved, glabrous.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blade ± coriaceous, broadly ovate- or reniform-cordate in outline, glabrous, punctate, puberulous on the nerves above, 100–110 mm. long, 120–140 mm. broad, palmately 3–5-lobed; lobes triangular-ovate or triangular, broadest at base, acuminate, apiculate, with the central largest; petiole 25–40 mm. long, slightly and finely pubescent laterally.

Morphology General Tendrils

Tendrils simple or bifid.

sex Male

Male flowers 8–16 in short dense unbranched or shortly 2-branched racemes apical on solitary or paired 4–34 mm. long peduncles, also with one solitary flower arising from the base of the peduncle; pedicels 2–6 mm. long; receptacle-tube obconic, 3 mm. long; lobes small, remote, dentiform; corolla yellow, with the segments 11 mm. long, 3.5 mm. broad, united in lower three-quarters.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Female flowers, fruits and seeds unknown. Male flowers 8–16 in short dense unbranched or shortly 2-branched racemes apical on solitary or paired 4–34 mm. long peduncles, also with one solitary flower arising from the base of the peduncle; pedicels 2–6 mm. long; receptacle-tube obconic, 3 mm. long; lobes small, remote, dentiform; corolla yellow, with the segments 11 mm. long, 3.5 mm. broad, united in lower three-quarters.

sex Female

Female flowers, fruits and seeds unknown.

Habitat

Forest edge; 1350 m.

Distribution

not known elsewhere T6