Sequa, Antidote vine
Fevillea cordifolia

Family: Cucurbitaceae

What it is like

A pumpkin family plant. It keeps growing from year to year. It climbs by tendrils in the axils of leaves. It grows 10 m long. The stems are green and a flat cylinder shape. They have lines along them when young. The branches hang down. The tendrils can be divided and 16 cm long. The leaves are alternate and 8-16 cm long by 4-12 cm wide. They are oval or can be 8 sided. The base is heart shaped. The edges curl up. The upper surfaces are dark green and shiny and the lower surfaces are dull pale green. The flowers are yellow to pink. The fruit are a flattened round shape. They are green and 8-12 cm across. The seeds are flattened and 3-6 cm across.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows along riverbanks and at the edges of forests. It grows from sea level to 500 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Amazon, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Caribbean, Central America, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Haiti, Hispaniola, Jamaica, Mexico, North America, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, South America, Trinidad-Tobago, Venezuela, West Indies, Winward Is.

How it is used for food

The oil from the seeds is edible.

Edible parts

Seeds - oil, seeds

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Abiria, Sta'cho, Ata muyu, Babilla, Fevillea, Janpatu panka, Jucu, Nhandiroba, Pepita amarga, Pusanka, Secua, Segra seed, Tsapatar, Uyama

Synonyms

Bryonia punctata L.; Fevillea hederacea Poir.; and several others