Momordica cardiospermoides Klotzsch

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

Morphology General Habit

Climber to 6 m.; rootstock tuberous, subterranean, perennial.

Morphology Stem

Stems annual, herbaceous, glabrous except at the nodes, much-branched.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves pedately biternately multi(usually 9–15)-foliolate; leaflets ovate-oblong, 5–30 mm. long, 4–20 mm. broad, rounded at the base, acute and apiculate, sinuate-dentate often with apiculate teeth; rhachides 6–57 mm. long; petiole 9–30 mm. long, glabrous except for hair-tufts at the base and at the insertion of the rhachides.

Morphology General Tendrils

Tendrils simple or bifid.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Monoecious. Female flowers on 10–50 mm. long stalks with a small lanceolate subapical bract; ovary ellipsoid-cylindrical, 10–20 mm. long, 4–4.5 mm. across, obscurely tuberculate; receptacle-tube 1 mm. long; lobes ovate-triangular or triangular-lanceolate, 2–5.5 mm. long; petals as in ♂ flower but rather smaller and more pointed at the apex. Male flowers solitary on 50–150 mm. long peduncles and subtended by a large broadly reniform- or suborbioular-cordate sessile 15–23 mm. long 22–38 mm. broad bract; receptacle-tube broadly obconic-campanulate, 4–5 mm. long; lobes broadly ovate or triangular, obtuse or rounded, 6–8 mm. long; petals yellow, 19–26 mm. long, 10–15 mm. broad, unequal, 2 with large incurved scales inside at the base; stamens 3, alternate with the scales.

sex Male

Male flowers solitary on 50–150 mm. long peduncles and subtended by a large broadly reniform- or suborbioular-cordate sessile 15–23 mm. long 22–38 mm. broad bract; receptacle-tube broadly obconic-campanulate, 4–5 mm. long; lobes broadly ovate or triangular, obtuse or rounded, 6–8 mm. long; petals yellow, 19–26 mm. long, 10–15 mm. broad, unequal, 2 with large incurved scales inside at the base; stamens 3, alternate with the scales.

sex Female

Female flowers on 10–50 mm. long stalks with a small lanceolate subapical bract; ovary ellipsoid-cylindrical, 10–20 mm. long, 4–4.5 mm. across, obscurely tuberculate; receptacle-tube 1 mm. long; lobes ovate-triangular or triangular-lanceolate, 2–5.5 mm. long; petals as in ♂ flower but rather smaller and more pointed at the apex.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit on a ± 60 mm. long stalk with an apical ± 10 mm. long and 7 mm. broad bract, 50–130 mm. long, 25–70 mm. across, scarlet, indehiscent, irregularly tubercled or merely irregularly bulging.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds ovate-oblong in outline, 11–14 × 7–9 × 2.5–4 mm.; testa sculptured on faces with irregular warts or ridges.

Habitat

Deciduous woodland and bushland; 780–920 m.

Distribution

T4 Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia and Rhodesia to Cape Province of South Africa

Cucurbitaceae, C. Jeffrey. Flora Zambesiaca 4. 1978

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers monoecious. male flowers solitary, pedunculate, bracteate; peduncles 2·2–15 cm. long; bract 7–23 mm. long, suborbicular, cordate, cucullate; pedicel 6–12 mm. long. Receptacle-tube 3–6 mm. long, lobes 4–8 mm. long, ovate to broadly ovate, shortly acuminate, obtuse to acute. Petals 1·1–3·2 cm. long, pale yellow to orange, dark at the base, broadly obovate, rounded, apiculate. Female flowers solitary; peduncle 0·9–6·5 cm. long; bract 2–11 mm. long; pedicel 2–20 mm. long; ovary 7–19 × 2–5 mm., ellipsoid-cylindrical; receptacle-tube 1 mm. long, lobes ovate-oblong to triangular-lanceolate, sometimes acuminate, obtuse to acute, 2–5·5 mm. long; petals 2–2·8 cm. long.

sex Male

male flowers solitary, pedunculate, bracteate; peduncles 2·2–15 cm. long; bract 7–23 mm. long, suborbicular, cordate, cucullate; pedicel 6–12 mm. long. Receptacle-tube 3–6 mm. long, lobes 4–8 mm. long, ovate to broadly ovate, shortly acuminate, obtuse to acute. Petals 1·1–3·2 cm. long, pale yellow to orange, dark at the base, broadly obovate, rounded, apiculate.

sex Female

Female flowers solitary; peduncle 0·9–6·5 cm. long; bract 2–11 mm. long; pedicel 2–20 mm. long; ovary 7–19 × 2–5 mm., ellipsoid-cylindrical; receptacle-tube 1 mm. long, lobes ovate-oblong to triangular-lanceolate, sometimes acuminate, obtuse to acute, 2–5·5 mm. long; petals 2–2·8 cm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit 5–13 × 2·5–7 cm., ellipsoid, smooth, bright red, indehiscent; fruit-stalk 5·6–8·5 cm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 11–14 × 7–9·5 × 2·5–5 mm., ovate-elliptic in outline, compressed, the faces with sinuate markings and edges, margins grooved.

Morphology General Habit

Stems prostrate or scandent to 10 m., almost glabrous except at nodes, arising from tuberous subterranean rootstock; all parts foetid.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves compound, bipedately (9) 15–17 (21)-foliolate; leaflets commonly 15 in 3 groups of 5, or 17 with median group of 7 and two lateral groups of 5; median leaflet 0·5–6 × 0·4–4·2 cm., elliptic, ovate or broadly ovate, rounded or cuneate at the base, sinuate-denticulate or sinuate-lobulate or occasionally deeply 3-lobulate, acute to obtuse or rounded, apiculate, minutely punctate, finely setulose on veins above, otherwise glabrous; petiolules of median group of leaflets 0·9–4·5(5) cm. long; petiolules of median leaflet (or leaflets) of median group 0·3–3·5 cm. long.

Morphology Leaves Petiole

Petiole 0·7–3 cm. long, almost glabrous except at base and apex.

Morphology General Tendrils

Tendrils simple or 2-fid.