Coccinia grandis
Content
Description
Herbaceous or soft-woody climbers to 8 m long, sparsely puberulous, early glabrescent;
Leaves:
Fruit green-white blotched, ripening red (starting at the apex), (narrowly) ellipsoid, 2.5-6 by 1.5-3 cm, apex subacute, pulp red, juicy;
Seeds 6-7 by 2.5-3 by c. 1.5 mm, ± smooth, margin narrow.
Distribution
Asia-Tropical: Borneo present (Sabah present); Lesser Sunda Is. present (Bali present); Malaya (Peninsular Malaysia present, Singapore present); Maluku (Maluku present); Philippines (Philippines present), Cebu present, Eastern Java present, Flores present, Lombok present, Old World present, Pantropical present, Timor present, Weri present, east to Arabia through India to tropical North Australia present, northern tropical Africa present
Widely distributed in the Old World, northern tropical Africa, east to Arabia through India to tropical North Australia; in Malesia: Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Borneo (Sabah, cultivated), eastern Java, Philippines (Cebu), Lesser Sunda Islands (Bali, Lombok, FloresTimor), Moluccas (Weri). Currently pantropical.
Notes
Coccinia grandis prefers a (strong to) light monsoon climate. Its fruits are (glaucous) green with contrasting white blotches in rows and turn into bright red when ripe, except for the very base. The pulp is frequently eaten by animals, mainly by birds.
Citation
Craib 1931 – In: Fl. Siam.: 761
W.J.de Wilde & Duyfjes – In: Sandakania: 50
Voigt 2008 – In: Fl. Thailand: 423
I.Telford 1982 – In: Fl. Australia: 176
Boonkerd, Na Songkhla & Thephuttee 1993 – In: PROSEA: 150
Ridl. 1922 – In: Fl. Malay Penin.: 849
Backer 1964 – In: Backer & Bakh.f., Fl. Java 1: 305