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(Last Modified On 7/31/2013)
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(Last Modified On 7/31/2013)
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Species
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Luffa operculata (L.) Cogn.
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PlaceOfPublication
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Mart., Fl. Bras. 6(4): 12. 1878.
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Synonym
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Momordica operculata L., Syst. Nat. ed. 10. 1433. 1759. SYNTYPES: witlhout locality Herb. Linn. 1150.4 & 1150.5 (LINN, neither seen; microfiches MO). Cucumis sepium G.F.W. Meyer, Prim. Fl. Esseq. 276. 1818. 'rYPxp: not known. Momordica purgans Mart. in Spix & Mart., Reise Brasil. 2: 546. 1828. TYPE: not known. Elaterium quinquefidum Hook. & Arn., Bot. Beech. Voy. 292. 1841. TYPE: not known. Momordica quinquefida (Hook. & Arn.) Hook. & Arn., Bot. Beech. Voy. 424. 1841. Lu[ffa purgens (Mart.) Mart., Syst. Mat. Med. Veg. Brasil. 81. 1843. Poppya operculata (L.) M.J. Roem., Fam. Nat. Syn. Monogr. 2: 59. 1846. Luffa quinquefida (Hook. & Arn.) Seem., Bot. Voy. Herald 285. 1853. Luffa operculata var. lobata Cogn. in Mart., Fl. Bras. 6(4): 13. 1878. Luffa operculata var. intermedia Cogn., Contr. U.S. Nat]. Herb. 1: 330. 1895. TYPE: Mexico, Palmer 770 (US, holotype, not seen). Luffa astorii Svens., Amer. J. Bot. 22: 256. 1935. TYPE: Ecuador, Svensoni 159 (NY, lholotype, not seen) .
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Description
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Monoecious, tendriled vines; stems 5- to 10-sulcate, hispidulous, puberulent, or glabrate. Leaves suborbicular, 5-15 cm long, as wide or slightly wider than long, shallowly to deeply 5- to 7-lobate, sometimes subentire, the apex rounded to acute, the base deeply cordate, the margin dentate, somewhat undulate, char- taceous, the upper surface scabrous with pustular-based trichomes, the lower surface scabrous; petioles 3-8 cm long, slender, hispid or pubescent, striate; ten- drils 2- to 3-branched, hispid or pubescent. Staminate flowers in axillary ra- cemes, the rachis 5-15 cm long, appressed puberulent; calyx campanulate, 5- lobate to 2/i its length, the lobes 5-8 mm long, lanceolate, acuminate, appressed pubescent; petals yellow, obovate, 8-15 mm long, mucronate, glabrate; stamens 3, free, the filaments 2-3 mm long, slender ciliate at the base, the anthers flexu- ous. Pistillate flowers solitary, axillary; peduncles 1-2 cm long; calyx and corolla as in the staminate flowers; ovary fusiform, ca. 1 cm long, appressed pubescent, tuberculate, 3-carpellate, the ovules numerous, horizontal, the styles connate, the stigmas 3, bilobate, irregularly curved and coralloid, densely papillate, the stami- nodia 5, ca. 1 mm long, puberulent. Fruits green or gray green, ellipsoidal, 5-10 cm long, 8- to 10-costate, costae tuberculate or shortly echinate, puberulent, gla- brate in age, dehiscent by a conical, long-beaked operculumn; seeds gray or brown, faintly mottled with darker markings, ovoid, compressed, 6-10 mirm long, 4-5 mm wide, 2 oblique bumps present above the hilum on each face, the testa smooth or rugulose.
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Habit
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vines
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Note
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The somewhat variable Luffa operculata is the only species native to the American tropics and subtropics.
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Distribution
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ranges from northern Mexico south to Peru and Ecuador.
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Note
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It grows at low elevations, scrambling over rocks and low shrubs in thickets, open areas, usually near the edge of rivers, ponds, or in coastal plains. It is known in Panama from a single collection, but was also reported from Matias Hernatndez by Standley (1928). It probably is more common than collections indicate.
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Common
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espongillo spongegourd
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Note
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It is used locally in Central and South America medicinally and as a substitute for a sponge.
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Specimen
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CANAL ZONE: Fort Sherman, beach and lighthouse, Burch et al. 1009 (GH, MO, US). PANAMA: Agricultural experiment station at Matias Hernailndez, Pittier 6936 (US).
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