Luffa

Sponge gourd ( Luffa cylindrica )

Loofah is a genus of Cucurbitaceae ( Cucurbitaceae ), which is native to the tropics. To her belongs the cultivated sponge gourd.

Features

The representatives of the genus are prostrate to ascending herbaceous, annual climbing plants. The leaves are simple and stalked. The vines are usually two to six parts.

The species are monoecious getrenntgeschlechtig ( monoecious ). The flowers are yellow to whitish. The male flowers are in clusters. The flower tube is broad bell-shaped, the sepals are large and entire. The five petals are free and entire. There are five stamens unithezische (they have a theca ), or there are three stamens, of which two are unithezisch and bithezisch. The stamens set in the flower tube and are free. The anthers are also free and have a broad connective. The counter tops are severely bent.

The female flowers appear singly. The ovary is smooth, ribbed, tubular or prickly. The numerous ovules are horizontal. The scars are three-lobed.

The fruit is globose to cylindrical, beaked. The surface is smooth, ribbed or prickly. The fruit is dry, brown, fibrous and opens to maturity at the apical end. The seeds are flat, her outline oblong- elliptical.

Dissemination

Some of the species is found in South and Central America, the other in the tropics of the Old World: Africa, Arabia, India, Asia and Australia.

System

The genus is placed within the Cucurbitaceae in the subfamily Cucurbitoideae, where the tribe Luffeae alone forms.

It distinguishes seven or eight species:

  • Wing Cucumber ( Luffa acutangula )
  • Sponge gourd ( Luffa aegyptiaca )
  • Luffa astorii
  • Luffa echinata
  • Luffa graveolens
  • Luffa operculata
  • Luffa quinquefida (also expected to L. operculata )
  • Luffa sepium

Documents

  • C. Jeffrey: loofah, in: Flora Zambesiaca, Volume 4, 1978 (online).
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