Coccinia mackenii

Family: Cucurbitaceae

What it is like

A climbing herb. It can be 8 m long. It keeps growing from year to year. The tendrils are divided into 2. The leaves are round to oblong. The flowers are pale yellow. The fruit are oblong. They are red when ripe. They are 5-8 cm long by 2-3.5 cm wide. The seeds a dirty white and rough. They are 7-8 mm long by 3-4 mm wide and 1.5 mm thick.

Where it is found

It is a subtropical plant.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Eswatini, Mozambique, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland

How it is used for food

The leaves are cooked and eaten as a vegetable.

It is cultivated.

Edible parts

Fruit, leaves

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Gomo

Synonyms

Cephalandra mackenii (Naudin ex C. Huber) Naudin; Cephalandra palmata Sond.; Coccinia dinteri Andre; Coccinia palmata (Sond.) Cogn.; Momordica palmata E. Mey.;