Coccinia senensis (Klotzsch) Cogn.

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

Morphology General Habit

Perennial climber to 2 m.; stems herbaceous, ridged, with scattered stiff white hairs, becoming conspicuously white-dotted on ridges when older.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blade broadly ovate-cordate in outline, entire or sinuate-toothed, ± scabrid-hairy or scabrid-punctate above, scabrid with short broad-based hairs on the nerves beneath, 54–162 mm. long, 45–190 mm. broad, palmately often deeply 3–5-lobed; lobes triangular or ovate to elliptic or linear-lanceolate, often ± toothed or lobulate, broadest or usually narrowed towards the base, acute to rounded and apiculate, with the central largest; petiole 5–50 mm. long, usually rather short, spreading-hairy with rather scabrid broad-based hairs.

Morphology General Tendrils

Tendrils simple.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts

Probracts oblanceolate, acute, with incurved margins, ± 4 mm. long and 2 mm. broad.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Male flowers in short sessile or pedunculate 2–6-flowered racemes, often with a coaxillary solitary flower, occasionally the flowers solitary or paired; peduncle 0–48 mm. long; pedicels 5–25 mm. long; receptacle-tube broadly campanulate, 4–5 mm. long; lobes lanceolate, 3–4 mm. long; corolla campanulate, apricot-orange, green-veined outside, with the lobes 11–13 mm. long, 4.5–10 mm. broad, united in lower half; stamens 3. Female flowers solitary, on 9–15 mm. long stalks; ovary bright green with deeper green slight ridges, 10–11 mm. long, 1.5–2.5 mm. across; receptacle-tube broadly campanulate, 2–3 mm. long; lobes lanceolate, 2.5–3.5 mm. long; corolla-lobes ± 8–10 mm. long and 4 mm. broad, united in lower half.

sex Male

Male flowers in short sessile or pedunculate 2–6-flowered racemes, often with a coaxillary solitary flower, occasionally the flowers solitary or paired; peduncle 0–48 mm. long; pedicels 5–25 mm. long; receptacle-tube broadly campanulate, 4–5 mm. long; lobes lanceolate, 3–4 mm. long; corolla campanulate, apricot-orange, green-veined outside, with the lobes 11–13 mm. long, 4.5–10 mm. broad, united in lower half; stamens 3.

sex Female

Female flowers solitary, on 9–15 mm. long stalks; ovary bright green with deeper green slight ridges, 10–11 mm. long, 1.5–2.5 mm. across; receptacle-tube broadly campanulate, 2–3 mm. long; lobes lanceolate, 2.5–3.5 mm. long; corolla-lobes ± 8–10 mm. long and 4 mm. broad, united in lower half.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit on an 11–30 mm. long stalk, cherry-red, ovoid-ellipsoid, rounded at the ends, smooth, 30–39 mm. long, 15–18 mm. across.

Habitat

Deciduous woodland and thicket; 135–460 m.

Distribution

T8

Cucurbitaceae, C. Jeffrey. Flora Zambesiaca 4. 1978

Morphology General Habit

Stems scandent, sparsely pubescent, setulose on ridges, becoming white-punctate when older, thickened at the base and developing thin, pallid bark.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-lamina 3·5–12 × 4–14 cm., ovate or broadly ovate in outline, deeply cordate, setulose on veins and setulose to strongly scabrid-punctate above, hispid-setulose especially on veins beneath, shallowly to moderately palmately 3–5-lobed, the lobes triangular, ovate-triangular or ovate to ovate-oblong, obovate or elliptic, subentire or remotely and obscurely sinuate-denticulate to coarsely sinuate-dentate, sometimes shortly lobulate, acute to rounded, sometimes shortly retuse, apiculate, the central largest.

Morphology Leaves Petiole

Petioles 0·4–2·0 cm. long, usually short (less than 1 cm.) except for the lowermost leaves, shortly setulose.

Morphology General Tendrils

Tendrils simple.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Probract

Probracts small, 3–5 mm. long, oblanceolate-spathulate.

sex Male

male flowers in short sessile or 0·7–3 cm. pedunculate racemes, often with a co-axillary 8–28 mm. pedicellate solitary flower; pedicels of racemose flowers 2–6·5 mm. long. Receptacle-tube 2·8–6·5 mm. long, obconic to broadly campanulate, hispid or setulose, lobes 3·5–7 mm. long, lanceolate, acute. Corolla yellow, lobes 1·2 cm. long, united in lower 1/3.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Female flowers solitary; pedicels 9–12 mm. long; ovary 8·5–9 × 1·5 mm., cylindrical; receptacle-tube 2 mm. long, campanulate, lobes 3–4 mm. long, lanceolate, acute. male flowers in short sessile or 0·7–3 cm. pedunculate racemes, often with a co-axillary 8–28 mm. pedicellate solitary flower; pedicels of racemose flowers 2–6·5 mm. long. Receptacle-tube 2·8–6·5 mm. long, obconic to broadly campanulate, hispid or setulose, lobes 3·5–7 mm. long, lanceolate, acute. Corolla yellow, lobes 1·2 cm. long, united in lower 1/3.

sex Female

Female flowers solitary; pedicels 9–12 mm. long; ovary 8·5–9 × 1·5 mm., cylindrical; receptacle-tube 2 mm. long, campanulate, lobes 3–4 mm. long, lanceolate, acute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruits c. 3·2 × 1·7 cm., ellipsoid, smooth, shortly rostrate; fruit-stalk 1–2·1 cm. long, hispid.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 5·8 × 4·2 × 1·5 mm., ovate in outline, compressed, pallid, bordered; testa fibrillose.

Cucurbitaceae, C. Jeffrey. Flora Zambesiaca 4. 1978

Morphology General Habit

Stems scandent to 2 m., sparsely setulose, becoming white-punctate when older.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-lamina 5·5–17 × 6–12·5 cm., broadly ovate in outline, cordate, scabrid-punctate above, setulose on veins or almost glabrous beneath, shallowly to deeply palmately 3–5-lobed, the lobes triangular, ovate, obovate-elliptic or oblong-lanceolate, denticulate, often sharply so, or coarsely sinuate-dentate, sometimes lobulate, obtuse to acute, apiculate, the central largest.

Morphology Leaves Petiole

Petioles 0·4–4 cm. long, setulose or hispid, usually short except towards the base of the plant.

Morphology General Tendrils

Tendrils 2-fid, often with one branch very weakly developed, or simple.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Probract

Probracts 3–7 mm. long, oblanceolate-spathulate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

male flowers in pedunculate racemes, co-axillary with solitary flower; peduncles 1·3–5·5 cm. long, shortly setulose; pedicels shortly setulose, those of racemose flowers 4–15 mm. long, of solitary flowers 15–35 mm. long. Receptacle-tube 3·5–5 mm. long, campanulate, shortly setulose, lobes 3–4·5 mm. long, lanceolate, recurved. Corolla yellow or orange-yellow, campanulate, the lobes 1·5–3 × 1–1·5 mm., united to above the middle. Female flowers solitary; pedicels 5–13 mm. long, sparsely setulose; ovary 8–11 × 2·5–3 mm., ellipsoid; receptacle-tube 2·5–3 mm. long, narrowly campanulate, lobes 2·3–3·5 mm. long, lanceolate-subulate, narrow, recurved; corolla similar to that of male flower.

sex Male

male flowers in pedunculate racemes, co-axillary with solitary flower; peduncles 1·3–5·5 cm. long, shortly setulose; pedicels shortly setulose, those of racemose flowers 4–15 mm. long, of solitary flowers 15–35 mm. long. Receptacle-tube 3·5–5 mm. long, campanulate, shortly setulose, lobes 3–4·5 mm. long, lanceolate, recurved. Corolla yellow or orange-yellow, campanulate, the lobes 1·5–3 × 1–1·5 mm., united to above the middle.

sex Female

Female flowers solitary; pedicels 5–13 mm. long, sparsely setulose; ovary 8–11 × 2·5–3 mm., ellipsoid; receptacle-tube 2·5–3 mm. long, narrowly campanulate, lobes 2·3–3·5 mm. long, lanceolate-subulate, narrow, recurved; corolla similar to that of male flower.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit 2·5–4 × 1·3–1·8 cm., ellipsoid, terete, obtuse, red; fruit-stalk 1–2 cm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 5·5–7 × 3–5 × 1·2–1·3 mm., broadly ovate or ovate in outline, lenticular, compressed; testa fibrillose.