Botanical Name / Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb.

Stems slender, somewhat sharply angled, shortly pubescent to subglabrous; tendrils 3 Leaves large, long petiolate lamina 4.5—15x 4.5—13.5 cm, orbicular to reniform in outline, cordate, sinus broad to somewhat narrow, shallowly 5—7-lobed, lateral lobes usually obtuse, central lobe acute to subacuminate, all shallowly dentate, coarsely or finely hispid scabrid on both surfaces. Petiole 1.5—7 cm, hispid-scarbrid Flowers pale yellow. Male flowers: racemose on densely pubescent peduncles 4—24 cm long; pedicels 2—3.5 mm long, densely pubescent; bracts 2. mm long, obovate, black, bearing 3 large immersed glands near base of pedicel; calyx similar to previous species but smaller; complete corolla not seen; stamens 3, slender. Female flowers: solitary, peduncle (3-) 10—12 cm long, pubescent; ovary strongly ridged. Fruit 15—30x5 cm, clavate - oblong, tapering at base into stout, fruiting peduncle 10-ridged, ridges narrow-angled, acute, almost winged. Seeds 0.9—1.4 X 0.5—0.75 cm, compressed oblong-ovoid, not winged, black or white, corrugated. (FOC)

Luffa acutangula var. amara (Roxb.) Clarke

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