Common name: Calabash Gourd, Bottle Gourd
Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl. APNI*
Description: Climbing herb with stems pilose, to 3 m long.
Leaves with lamina broad-ovate, ± triangular to reniform, 4–30 cm long, sometimes obscurely 3–7-lobed, pubescent on both surfaces, with 2 raised glands on base near petiole; petiole 3–20 cm long with 2 raised glands at top.
Male flowers on pedicels 7–40 cm long; hypanthium 1–3 cm long, corolla 2–4 cm long, white. Female flowers on pedicels 6–10 cm long; ovary 1–2 cm long, villous.
Fruit variable in shape and size, ± ovoid, often with a curved neck, 10–20 cm diam., green, pubescent; seeds numerous.
Distribution and occurrence: Sometimes cultivated, rarely naturalized. Native of Asia & Afr.
NSW subdivisions: *NC
Other Australian states: *Qld
Text by G. J. Harden Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 1 (1990)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data ***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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