Benincasa pruriens

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Benincasa pruriens

Description

Annual herb, shoots 2-7 m long, stem 3-5 mm diam., sparsely or densely grey or rusty hairy, hairs 2-5 mm long. Leaves: Fruit solitary, globose, ellipsoid or narrowly ellipsoid, 4-120 cm long, glabrescent; Seeds ovate-elliptic, 7-10 by 4-7 mm, faces not ornamented, margin narrow, finely 2-grooved, edge entire.

Distribution

SE Asia present
The cultivated form widespread in SE Asia and elsewhere.

Uses

The young and ripe fruits and the young shoots are used as a vegetable.

Citation

W.J.de Wilde & Duyfjes 2008 – In: Fl. Thailand: 421
W.J.de Wilde & Duyfjes – In: Sandakania: 45