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sessile leaved cucumber
Coccinia sessilifolia
-24.5573, 25.9631
Field Notes
Description:
Long trailing climber from a perrenial tuberous root stock. Flowers are hairy, cream-coloured bells which face upwards, last one day, and are 20 - 30 mm across.
The fruit is a small, smooth-skinned cucumber up to 200 mm in length which starts out green with irregular white, lonitudinal stripes and matures to green at the base (stem end) changing through yellow to red towards the tip. As the name indicates, the leaves, which are lobed and roughly toothed, are without a leaf stalk. The leaf attachment completely surrounds the stem.
Habitat:
The sessile leaved cucumber is native to southern africa where it is widespread being found in grassland as well as more noticeably in bushy areas. It is commonly seen on fences. Although it has a perennial rootstock it does not appear every year around our area. Growth is probably dependant on rain at the right time and our summer rainfall is rather erratic and unpredictable.
Notes:
This plant is attractive in all phases be it only in leaf, flowering or with fruit. Birds are attracted to the fruits and often only the empty skins are left behind on the vine.
The San peoples (to be politically correct although the individuals I've met in the Kalahari actually prefer the term 'bushman') utilise(d) both the fruit and the tuberous root.
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