Wild bottle gourd
Lagenaria sphaerica

Family: Cucurbitaceae

What it is like

A herb. It is a climber in the pumpkin family. It can climb 10 m high. The stems are angled and nearly smooth. The leaves are 5-15 cm long. They are leathery and rough to touch. They have 5 lobes. The leaf stalk has 2 horn like processes near the base. The male flowers are in groups and white. They are 10-15 cm across. The female flowers occur singly. The fruit is oval and hard. They are 7-11 cm long by 6-10 cm wide. It has a pattern of green and yellow.

The seeds are rich in oil.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in the lowland rainforest and along rivers. It suits humid locations. It grows from sea level to 1,700 m above sea level. It can grow in arid places. It can grow to 2,700 m.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Botswana, Central Africa, Comoros, Congo, East Africa, Eswatini, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Somalia, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The leaves are occasionally cooked and eaten. The young fruit are eaten as a vegetable. Caution: Mature fruit are poisonous.

It is a minor vegetable.

Edible parts

Leaves, fruit, vegetable

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Andrivolahy, Burbugi, Buzungwe, Chipuzi, Guchalinha, Ishyalele, Katembe-nene, Mapude, Tabotaboke

Synonyms

Sphaerosicyos sphaericus (Sond.) Cogn.; Sphaerosicyos sphaericus var. tomentosus; Lagenaria mascarena Naudin; Luffa sphaerica Sond.;