Zehneria scabra (L.f.) Sond.

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

Distribution

Surud, tropical and southern Africa and tropical Asia.

Morphology General Habit

Scandent or trailing herb to 10 m, old stems becoming woody with corky ridged bark

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blade ovate, broadly ovate, or pentagonal, cordate, sinuate-dentate, ± scabrid-punctate above, sparsely setulose to densely tomentose beneath, 1.5–11 x 1.5–11 cm, unlobed or usually palmately 3–5-lobed, lobes ovate to triangular, the central largest; petiole 0.5–7 cm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology

Dioecious

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Male flowers 3–many in subsessile or pedunculate subumbelliform clusters Female flowers in usually sessile subumbelliform clusters

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Peduncles

Peduncles up to 7 cm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel

Pedicels 1.5–10 mm long Pedicels 1–5(–10) mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Hypanthium

Hypanthium campanulate, 2–5.5 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals dentiform, up to 1.5 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals white, becoming cream then yellow with age, 1.5–3.5 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary ellipsoid, rostrate, 2.5–5 mm long, glabrous or shortly pubescent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth

Perianth as in male flowers

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruits globose to ellipsoid, sometimes apiculate, fleshy, green or green with darker longitudinal lines, sometimes glaucous, red when ripe, 0.8–1.3 x 0.7–0.8 cm; pedicel 2–20 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds ovate in outline, 2–4 mm long.

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

Morphology General Habit

Perennial herb climbing or trailing to 6 m.; young stems rather shortly and closely crisped-pubescent, sometimes densely so, but sometimes almost glabrous except at the nodes, less often sparsely spreading-hairy or completely glabrous; older stems thickened, woody, up to 15 mm. across, with greyish-brown slightly fissured bark.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blade ± ovate-cordate or ovate-subtruncate in outline, ± scabrid-punctate above, paler green and subglabrous or sparsely scabrid-hairy to densely cinereous-tomentose beneath, sinuate-toothed, acute to rounded, apiculate and often ± acuminate, 25–110 mm. long, 19–110 mm. broad, sometimes shallowly 3-lobed with large middle lobe and small triangular lateral lobes, rarely palmately 5-lobed with the lobes triangular, or obovate and distinctly narrowed below, sometimes heterophyllous; petiole usually rather shortly and sparsely hairy, 7–85 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Dioecious. Male flowers 2–60 in sessile or up to 85 mm. pedunculate umbelliform clusters, often with a coaxillary long-pedicellate solitary flower, rarely the inflorescence compound with more than one umbelliform cluster borne at intervals along the peduncle; bracts usually absent; receptacle-tube 2.5–4 mm. long, hairy within; lobes ± subulate, 0.5–0.8 mm. long; petals white, becoming creamy-yellow when old, 1.8–3 mm. long, 1.3–2 mm. broad; stamens 3, on fairly long filaments. Female flowers occasionally solitary, usually 2–16 in sessile or up to 26 mm. pedunculate umbelliform groups, often with a coaxillary solitary flower; pedicels 1–10 mm. long; ovary subglobose to fusiform, sometimes beaked, 3–6 mm. long, 1.5–2.3 mm. across; receptacle-tube campanulate, hairy within, 2–4 mm. long; lobes subulate, ± 0.5 mm. long; petals 2–2.5 mm. long, 1–1.5 mm. broad.

sex Male

Male flowers 2–60 in sessile or up to 85 mm. pedunculate umbelliform clusters, often with a coaxillary long-pedicellate solitary flower, rarely the inflorescence compound with more than one umbelliform cluster borne at intervals along the peduncle; bracts usually absent; receptacle-tube 2.5–4 mm. long, hairy within; lobes ± subulate, 0.5–0.8 mm. long; petals white, becoming creamy-yellow when old, 1.8–3 mm. long, 1.3–2 mm. broad; stamens 3, on fairly long filaments.

sex Female

Female flowers occasionally solitary, usually 2–16 in sessile or up to 26 mm. pedunculate umbelliform groups, often with a coaxillary solitary flower; pedicels 1–10 mm. long; ovary subglobose to fusiform, sometimes beaked, 3–6 mm. long, 1.5–2.3 mm. across; receptacle-tube campanulate, hairy within, 2–4 mm. long; lobes subulate, ± 0.5 mm. long; petals 2–2.5 mm. long, 1–1.5 mm. broad.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruits solitary or more often in sessile or pedunculate axillary clusters of up to 10 (rarely more), with 2–20 mm. long pedicels, baccate, sphaeroid, rounded or more rarely slightly apiculate, 6–12 mm. long, 5–11 mm. across, scarlet, ± scrobiculate when dry.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds ovate in outline, smooth, compressed, lenticular, 2.2–4 × 1.3–2.5 × 0.5–0.8 mm.

Figures

Fig. 21/1–8, p. 120.

Habitat

Rain- and swamp or other ground-water forest, riverine forest, grass thicket, seasonal swamp and damp places generally in bushland and woodland; also a weed of roadsides and plantations; 80–3350 m.

Distribution

tropical Africa K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7