Corallocarpus schimperi (Naudin) Hook.f.

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

Morphology General Habit

Climber; young stems herbaceous, minutely velutinous, sometimes with scattered longer crisped hairs or rarely practically glabrous, soon thickening and developing a reddish-brown or greyish rather papery bark.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves slightly fleshy; blade broadly ovate-cordate in outline, sinuate-toothed, densely and finely scabrid-hairy, 31–100 mm. long, 36–150 mm. broad, unlobed or more usually palmately 3–5-lobed; lobes obovate, rhombic or oblong, ± rounded above, narrowed below, sometimes ± 3-lobulate; petiole finely and densely hairy, 22–40 mm. long.

sex Male

Male flowers in 2–60 mm. long 8–50-flowered racemes apical on 8–125 mm. long peduncles, often on contracted leafless stems; pedicels 2–12 mm. long; receptacle-tube 1.5 mm. long; lobes triangular-lanceolate, 1–1.2 mm. long; petals ± 2 mm. long, yellow with green veins.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Female flowers in ± sessile 1–20-flowered clusters, often on leafless contracted branches, sometimes coaxillary with ♂; pedicels 1–3 mm. long; ovary shortly hairy, often densely so, 3.5–4 mm. long, 1–1.5 mm. across; receptacle-tube ± 1 mm. long; lobes lanceolate-triangular, 1 mm. long; petals ± 1.5 mm. long. Male flowers in 2–60 mm. long 8–50-flowered racemes apical on 8–125 mm. long peduncles, often on contracted leafless stems; pedicels 2–12 mm. long; receptacle-tube 1.5 mm. long; lobes triangular-lanceolate, 1–1.2 mm. long; petals ± 2 mm. long, yellow with green veins.

sex Female

Female flowers in ± sessile 1–20-flowered clusters, often on leafless contracted branches, sometimes coaxillary with ♂; pedicels 1–3 mm. long; ovary shortly hairy, often densely so, 3.5–4 mm. long, 1–1.5 mm. across; receptacle-tube ± 1 mm. long; lobes lanceolate-triangular, 1 mm. long; petals ± 1.5 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruits 1–7, clustered, or sometimes more and then shortly and densely racemose, on 2–5 mm. long stalks, ovoid or conical, glabrous or minutely soft-hairy, red, 10–17 mm. long, 7–10 mm. across; beak short, up to 2 mm. long, or absent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds subglobose, smooth, bordered, 3 × 2.2–2.5 × 2–2.5 mm.

Figures

Fig. 24/10, p. 140.

Habitat

Deciduous bushland and woodland; 1000–1100 m.

Distribution

K1 K4 K7 NE. tropical Africa

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

Morphology General Habit

Scandent deciduous softly woody climber; stems minutely velutinous, finely setulose, quickly developing reddish-brown or greyish papery bark

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blade broadly ovate, cordate, sinuate-dentate, finely hispid, slightly succulent, 2.5–10 x 3.5–15 cm, usually palmately 3–5-lobed, lobes obovate to oblong, ± rounded; petioles densely finely pubescent, 2–4 cm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Male flowers 8–many in pedunculate racemes Female flowers solitary or in ± sessile clusters, often on leafless contracted branches

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Peduncles

Peduncles 1–12.5 cm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Hypanthium

Hypanthium campanulate, 1.5–2 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals triangular to oblong-lanceolate, c. 1 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals greenish-yellow with green veins, 2 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary 3.5–4 mm long, shortly puberulous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruits ovoid or conical, often shortly rostrate, glabrous or shortly softly hairy, red when ripe, 1–1.7 x 0.7–1 cm

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel

Pedicels 2–5 mm long Pedicels 2–12 mm long Pedicels 1–3 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds ellipsoid or subglobose, bordered, 3–3.5 mm long.

Distribution

C2; S1

Ecology

Altitude range 150–200 m.