Coccinia rehmannii Cogn.

Cucurbitaceae, C. Jeffrey. Flora Zambesiaca 4. 1978

Morphology General Habit

Stems annual or perennial, slender, prostrate or scandent, arising from a large tuberous rootstock, almost glabrous to rather densely hispid or setulose, becoming white-punctate when older.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-lamina 2–8 × 2·5–13 cm., broadly ovate in outline, cordate, shortly usually rather sparsely setulose on veins beneath, scabrid-punctate above, pentagonal or shallowly to usually deeply palmately 3–5-lobed, the lobes broadly ovate or obovate to elliptic or oblanceolate, entire or shallowly to quite sharply sinuate-dentate or deeply and sharply lobulate, obtuse, apiculate, the central largest.

Morphology Leaves Petiole

Petiole 0·5–6 cm. long, sparsely to densely setulose or setose.

Morphology General Tendrils

Tendrils simple.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Probract

Probracts 1–3 mm. long, small, narrow.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

male flowers solitary, in sessile few-flowered clusters or in 2–20-flowered 0·8–3 cm. pedunculate racemes, usually with a co-axillary solitary flower; bracts small, 1–5 mm. long, rounded, often absent; pedicels 5–45 mm. long. Receptacle-tube 3–6 mm. long, broadly campanulate, sparsely to usually densely pubescent, setulose or long-pilose, lobes 2–8 mm. long, lanceolate, acute. Corolla whitish-cream to pale yellow, green-veined, the lobes 1–3 × 0·5–1·5 cm., obovate, apiculate, united to above the middle. Female flowers solitary; pedicels 2–15 mm. long; ovary 6–13 × 1–2·5 mm., shortly ellipsoid or fusiform, almost glabrous to densely pilose; receptacle-tube 2–3·5 mm. long, narrowly campanulate or shortly cylindrical, lobes 2–5 mm. long, linear-lanceolate or oblanceolate.

sex Male

male flowers solitary, in sessile few-flowered clusters or in 2–20-flowered 0·8–3 cm. pedunculate racemes, usually with a co-axillary solitary flower; bracts small, 1–5 mm. long, rounded, often absent; pedicels 5–45 mm. long. Receptacle-tube 3–6 mm. long, broadly campanulate, sparsely to usually densely pubescent, setulose or long-pilose, lobes 2–8 mm. long, lanceolate, acute. Corolla whitish-cream to pale yellow, green-veined, the lobes 1–3 × 0·5–1·5 cm., obovate, apiculate, united to above the middle.

sex Female

Female flowers solitary; pedicels 2–15 mm. long; ovary 6–13 × 1–2·5 mm., shortly ellipsoid or fusiform, almost glabrous to densely pilose; receptacle-tube 2–3·5 mm. long, narrowly campanulate or shortly cylindrical, lobes 2–5 mm. long, linear-lanceolate or oblanceolate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit 1·5–7·5 × 1–3·5 cm., shortly ellipsoid to ellipsoid-cylindrical, sometimes ± pyriform, smooth, bright red when mature; fruit-stalk 0·4–2 cm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 4·7–7 × 2–3 × 1·1–1·7 mm., asymmetrically ovate-oblong in outline, sometimes slightly arcuate, compressed, with flat faces and 2-grooved margins; testa minutely rugulose.