Adenia crassa

Primary tabs

Adenia crassa

Description

Climber to 10 m. Leaves herbaceous, entire or shallowly toothed in the lower half, ovate-elliptic to oblong, top longly acute or faintly acuminate up to 3(-5) cm, base cordate, 3-15 by 1½-9½ cm, 3-5-plinerved and 1-3 pairs of lesser nerves from the midrib; Inflorescences peduncled for 1½-6 cm, in ♂ up to 30-flowered, in ♀ 2-5-flowered; Fruit 1, subglobose, excluding the 10-15 mm long gynophore 5-6 by 4½-5 cm; Seeds 30-40, suborbicular, c. 7½ by 7½-8 by 2½-3 mm, pitted;

Distribution

Asia-Tropical: Philippines (Philippines present), Basilan I present, Sulu Is present, W. Mindanao present, Zamboanga Prov present
Malesia: Philippines (Sulu Is., Basilan I., W. Mindanao: Zamboanga Prov.). .

Uses

According to GORDON (PNH 82005) the fleshy arils are edible.

Notes

Related to A. cordifolia, but distinguished by the stronger 3-5-plinerved leaves and the subglobose, thick-valved fruits.
Leaves of juvenile specimens are deeply 3-lobed with a much reduced middle lobe, and the base ± peltate.

Citation

Merr. 1923 – In: En. Philip.: 117
DE WILDE 1971: Thesis: 235: f. 34