Luffa

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Luffa

Description

Annual or subperennial, climbing herbs to 10 m long, leafy stem 2-5 mm diam., puberulous, late glabrescent, scabrid; Leaves: Inflorescences: Flowers medium or large; Fruit subglobose to (long-)cylindrical, smooth or ribbed (or with short spines), when ripe dry and fibrous within, dehiscing by an apical operculum. Seeds numerous, medium-sized, compressed, (narrowly) elliptic in outline, faces smooth or rugate, margin mostly distinct, edge entire.

Distribution

Africa present, America present, Asia-Tropical, Old World present
About 7 species, of which 4 in the Old World (mainly Africa) and 3 in America; in Malesia: 2 species, both widely cultivated in all tropical regions.

Citation

G.J.Jansen, Gildemacher & Phuphathanaphong 1993 – In: PROSEA: 194
Cogn. 1881 – In: A.DC. & C.DC., Monogr. Phan. 3: 455
C.Jeffrey 2001 – In: Hanelt, Mansfeld’s encycl. agric. hort. crops 3: 1539