Momordica friesiorum (Harms) C.Jeffrey

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation

Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident

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

Morphology General Habit

Perennial with tuberous rootstock, climbing or trailing to 4 m.

Morphology Stem

Stems herbaceous, angled, ± crisped-pubescent.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves pedately 3–5-foliolate; middle leaflet largest, elliptic, ovate-lanceolate, ovate or broadly ovate, obtuse or subtruncate at the base, acuminate, slightly apiculate, subentire and remotely denticulate to distinctly sinuate-toothed, almost glabrous to distinctly pubescent, 27–130 mm. long, 9–50 mm. broad; lateral leaflets similar but smaller and with blunter apices, sometimes lobed on the outer side at the base; central petiolule 4–27 mm. long; petiole 7–40 mm. long.

Morphology General Tendrils

Tendrils bifid, rarely simple.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Dioecious or monoecious. Female flowers ebracteate, pubescent, on 11–13 mm. long stalks; ovary shortly hairy, fusiform and beaked, 10-ribbed, 30–35 mm. long, 4–5 mm. across; receptacle-tube shallow, 3 mm. long; lobes triangular-acuminate, 6–11 mm. long; style long. Male flowers 5–15, subumbellate on a 40–80 mm. long peduncle; bract subtending pedicels broadly obovate-orbicular, 13–30 mm. long, 7–40 mm. broad; pedicels 5–10 mm. long; receptacle-tube cylindrical below, expanded, campanulate above, like the lobes dark brownish-green to purplish or almost black, sometimes green with darker nerves, 9–11 mm. long; lobes broadly triangular or triangular-acuminate, acute, 3–12 mm. long; corolla pale yellow or pale orange-yellow with darker throat and a dark purple or black eye; petals free, lingulate, slightly apiculate, 12–15 mm. long, 6–8 mm. broad; basal scales 2, obsolescent; stamens 3; thecae straight, those of one double stamen very unequal; connective narrow.

sex Male

Male flowers 5–15, subumbellate on a 40–80 mm. long peduncle; bract subtending pedicels broadly obovate-orbicular, 13–30 mm. long, 7–40 mm. broad; pedicels 5–10 mm. long; receptacle-tube cylindrical below, expanded, campanulate above, like the lobes dark brownish-green to purplish or almost black, sometimes green with darker nerves, 9–11 mm. long; lobes broadly triangular or triangular-acuminate, acute, 3–12 mm. long; corolla pale yellow or pale orange-yellow with darker throat and a dark purple or black eye; petals free, lingulate, slightly apiculate, 12–15 mm. long, 6–8 mm. broad; basal scales 2, obsolescent; stamens 3; thecae straight, those of one double stamen very unequal; connective narrow.

sex Female

Female flowers ebracteate, pubescent, on 11–13 mm. long stalks; ovary shortly hairy, fusiform and beaked, 10-ribbed, 30–35 mm. long, 4–5 mm. across; receptacle-tube shallow, 3 mm. long; lobes triangular-acuminate, 6–11 mm. long; style long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit on a 23–60 mm. long stalk, spindle-shaped, beaked, with ± 10 toothed longitudinal wings or ridges, fleshy, orange, ± 60 mm. long and 20 mm. across, dehiscent into 3 valves.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds many, tumid, ± 8 × 7 × 4 mm.; faces with rugose sculpturing; margins shallowly grooved, smooth (fig. 3/13, p. 25).

Habitat

Upland rain-forest and upland evergreen bushland, especially on margins and in clearings; 1500–2600 m.

Distribution

K3 K4 K5 K6 T2 T6 T7 T8 U3