Momordica balsamina L.

Cucurbitaceae, Hutchinson and Dalziel. Flora of West Tropical Africa 1:1. 1954

Morphology General Habit

A climber, wild, and often planted and growing over native huts

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers yellow (sometimes white) with a dark centre

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit orange-yellow, beaked, 1–21/2 in. long, bursting and exposing red-brown seeds

Ecology

In drier regions.

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit

Annual climbing or trailing herb to 1.5 m

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blade broadly ovate to circular in outline, cordate, usually somewhat pubescent, 1–9 x 1.2–12 cm, palmately 3–5-lobed to about the middle or beyond, lobes sharply sinuate-dentate or sinuate-lobulate with apiculate teeth; petiole 0.5–6 cm long

Morphology General Tendrils

Tendrils simple

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Male flowers solitary Monoecious Female flowers solitary

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Peduncles

Peduncle 1.7–3.5 cm long, apically bracteate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts

Bract broadly ovate-cordate, apiculate, pallid with green veins and margins, 4–18 x 9–34 mm Bract basal, like a much-reduced leaf

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel

Pedicels 4–5 mm long Pedicel 4–15 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary ovate, rostrate, longitudinally ridged, 6.5–7 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Hypanthium

Hypanthium shallow, c. 0.5 mm long Hypanthium broadly obconic, 2–3 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals lanceolate, 2.5–5 mm long Sepals ovate-acuminate, green, 5–7 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals obovate, 8–11 mm long Petals pale yellow, broadly obovate, 10–15 mm long, 3 with darker yellow markings at the base

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit ovoid-ellipsoid, with undulate wings or rows of small tubercles or almost smooth, bright orange, 2.5–4.5 x 2–3 cm, dehiscent into 3 valves

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds sheathed in bright red pulp, ovate-oblong, 9–11.5 x 5–6 x 2.5–3 mm, faces sculptured.

Distribution

N1; S2 drier parts of tropical and southern Africa, tropical Asia and Australia.

Ecology

Altitude range 0–1000 m.

Vernacular

Saar (Somali).

Cucurbitaceae, C. Jeffrey. Flora Zambesiaca 4. 1978

Morphology General Habit

Stems prostrate or scandent, to 2·7 m., finely rather sparsely crispate-pubescent, especially at nodes.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-lamina 1–9 × 1·2–12 cm., broadly ovate to suborbicular in outline, deeply cordate, minutely punctate and laxly pubescent on veins beneath, very shortly sparsely setulose especially on veins above, deeply palmately 5–7-lobed, lobes sharply to obtusely 3–5-lobulate or sometimes merely sinuate-dentate, acute to rounded or subtruncate, apiculate.

Morphology Leaves Petiole

Petiole 0·3–6·1 cm. long.

Morphology General Tendrils

Tendrils simple.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers monoecious, solitary. male flowers: peduncle 1·6–10·5 cm. long; bract 2-18 mm. long, broadly ovate to suborbicular, sessile, apiculate, pallid with dark green veins and tip; pedicel 2–5 mm. long. Receptacle-tube 2–4·5 mm. long, lobes 4–9 mm. long, ovate, broadly ovate or obovate, acute to rounded, bluntly acuminate or apiculate, blackish or green. Petals 1·0–1·9 cm. long, pale yellow, cream or white, green-veined, dark at the base, obovate-oblong, rounded or slightly retuse, apiculate. Female flowers: peduncle 2–5 mm. long; bract 1·5–5 mm. long, green; pedicel 0·4–2·7 cm. long; ovary 4–13 × 2–4 mm., ovoid, rostrate, sparsely tuberculate, puberulous; receptacle-tube 0·5–1 mm. long, lobes narrow, 1–5 mm. long; petals 0·5–1·3 cm. long.

sex Male

male flowers: peduncle 1·6–10·5 cm. long; bract 2-18 mm. long, broadly ovate to suborbicular, sessile, apiculate, pallid with dark green veins and tip; pedicel 2–5 mm. long. Receptacle-tube 2–4·5 mm. long, lobes 4–9 mm. long, ovate, broadly ovate or obovate, acute to rounded, bluntly acuminate or apiculate, blackish or green. Petals 1·0–1·9 cm. long, pale yellow, cream or white, green-veined, dark at the base, obovate-oblong, rounded or slightly retuse, apiculate.

sex Female

Female flowers: peduncle 2–5 mm. long; bract 1·5–5 mm. long, green; pedicel 0·4–2·7 cm. long; ovary 4–13 × 2–4 mm., ovoid, rostrate, sparsely tuberculate, puberulous; receptacle-tube 0·5–1 mm. long, lobes narrow, 1–5 mm. long; petals 0·5–1·3 cm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit 2·5–6·2 × 1·8–2·8 cm., ovoid, rostrate, tuberculate, bright orange-red or red, dehiscent into 3 valves; fruit-stalk 0·6–2·0 cm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 8·5–11·2 × 5–6·6 × 2–3 mm., enveloped in red foetid pulp, ovate in outline, more or less compressed, faces with slightly depressed centres and elevated sculptured edges; margins grooved.

Cucurbitaceae, C. Jeffrey. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1967

Morphology General Habit

Climber or trailer to 1.5 m.

Morphology Stem

Stems herbaceous, glabrous or pubescent.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blade broadly ovate, reniform or orbicular in outline, cordate, usually somewhat pubescent, 10–90 mm. long, 12–120 mm. broad, palmately 3–5-lobed to about the middle or below, with the lobes broadly ovate- or elliptic-rhombic in outline, narrowed below, sharply sinuate-dentate or dentate-lobulate and the apices and marginal teeth apiculate; petiole pubescent, 4–60 mm. long.

Morphology General Tendrils

Tendrils simple.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Monoecious. Female flowers with peduncle up to 1.5 mm. long bearing a small apical ovate bract (up to 2 × 2 mm.); pedicel 4–5 mm. long, pubescent; ovary fusiform and beaked, 6.5–7 mm. long, ± 3 mm. across, puberulous, with longitudinal rows of small tubercles; receptacle-tube shallow; lobes narrow, 2.5–5 mm. long; petals rounded-apiculate, ± 8 mm. long and 5 mm. broad. Male flowers solitary; peduncle 17–35 mm. long, bearing an apical 4–18 mm. long 9–34 mm. broad broadly ovate-cordate apiculate veined bract; pedicels 4–5 mm. long, ± pubescent; receptacle-tube obconic, 2 mm. long; lobes ovate-acuminate, acute, green, 5–7 mm. long; petals yellow with green veins, 10–15 mm. long, 8–12 mm, broad; stamens 3.

sex Male

Male flowers solitary; peduncle 17–35 mm. long, bearing an apical 4–18 mm. long 9–34 mm. broad broadly ovate-cordate apiculate veined bract; pedicels 4–5 mm. long, ± pubescent; receptacle-tube obconic, 2 mm. long; lobes ovate-acuminate, acute, green, 5–7 mm. long; petals yellow with green veins, 10–15 mm. long, 8–12 mm, broad; stamens 3.

sex Female

Female flowers with peduncle up to 1.5 mm. long bearing a small apical ovate bract (up to 2 × 2 mm.); pedicel 4–5 mm. long, pubescent; ovary fusiform and beaked, 6.5–7 mm. long, ± 3 mm. across, puberulous, with longitudinal rows of small tubercles; receptacle-tube shallow; lobes narrow, 2.5–5 mm. long; petals rounded-apiculate, ± 8 mm. long and 5 mm. broad.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit on a 10–20 mm. long stalk, orange-red, ovoid-ellipsoid, ± 26–35 mm. long and 19–25 mm. across, terete or slightly ridged, ornamented with longitudinal rows of small tubercles.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds ovate-oblong in outline, 9–11 × 5–6 × 2.5–3 mm.; testa sculptured; margins 2-grooved.

Habitat

Coastal bushland on sand

Distribution

widespread in the drier parts of South Africa and tropical Africa, Arabia, tropical Asia and Australiatropical America probably by introduction T6 Z