Entry From
Flora of Tropical East Africa, page 1, (1967) Author: C. Jeffrey
Names
KEDROSTIS foetidissima (Jacq.) Cogn. [family CUCURBITACEAE], in DC., Monogr. Phan. 3: 634 (1881); Hiern, Cat. Welw. Afr. Pl. 2: 404 (1898); A. Zimm., Cucurbitac. 2: 4, 10, 29, 85, 95, 111, 114, figs. 72/4–9, 81/23–25 (1922); F.W.T.A. 1: 179 (1927), excl. spec. cit. Dalziel 128, & ed. 2, 1: 210 (1954); F.P.S. 1: 175 (1950); A. Meeuse in Bothalia 8: 26 (1962); R. & A. Fernandes in Mem. Junta Invest. Ultram., sér. 2, 34: 131 (1962). Type: a plant sent from West Africa cultivated in Vienna
Trichosanthes foetidissima Jacq. [family CUCURBITACEAE], Collect. 2: 341 (1789)
Bryonia rostrata Rottl. [family CUCURBITACEAE], in Neue Schrift. Ges. Nat. Freunde Berlin 4: 213 (1803). Type: India, Bottler (K, syn.!)
Bryonia perrottetiana Ser. [family CUCURBITACEAE], in DC., Prodr. 3: 304 (1828). Type: Senegal, Perrottet (G, holo.)
Rhynchocarpa foetida Schrad. [family ], in Linnaea 12: 403 (1838); F.T.A. 2: 564 (1871), nom. illegit. Type: as Trichosanthes foetidissima Jacq.
Cyrtonema divergens A. Rich. [family CUCURBITACEAE], Tent. Fl. Abyss. 1: 286 (1847). Type: Ethiopia, Tigre, near Djeladjeranne, Schimper 1677 (P, holo., K, iso.!)
Zehneria obtusiloba Sond. [family CUCURBITACEAE], in Fl. Cap. 2: 487 (1862). Type: South Africa, Cape Province/Natal, R. Umzimkulu, Drège (S, lecto.)
Kedrostis foetidissima (A. Rich.) Cogn. var. divergens [family CUCURBITACEAE], in DC., Monogr. Phan. 3: 635 (1881)
Kedrostis foetidissima (Ser.) Cogn. var. perrottetiana [family CUCURBITACEAE], in DC., Monogr. Phan. 3: 635 (1881); Hiern, Cat. Welw. Afr. Pl. 2: 404 (1898)
Kedrostis foetidissima Cogn. var. microcarpa [family CUCURBITACEAE], in DC., Monogr. Phan. 3: 636 (1881); Burtt Davy, Man. Fl. Pl. Ferns Transv. 1: 226 (1926). Type: Mozambique, Tete, Lupata, Kirk (K, holo.!)
Kedrostis rostrata (Rottl.) Cogn. [family CUCURBITACEAE], in DC Monogr. Phan. 3: 636 (1881); Chakrav., Monogr. Indian Cucurbitac.: 166 (1959)
Kedrostis obtusiloba (Sond.) Cogn. [family CUCURBITACEAE], in E.P. IV. 275 (1): 143 (1916); Burtt Davy, Man. Fl. Pl. Ferns Transv. 1: 226 (1926)
Kedrostis foetidissima A. Zimm. var. glandulifera [family CUCURBITACEAE], Cucurbitac. 2: 180, 46 (1922). Type: Tanganyika, near Moshi, Zimmermann (not traced at EA)
Melothria louisii [family CUCURBITACEAE], [sensu Robyns in B.J.B.B. 27: 96 (1943) & F.P.N.A. 2: 392 (1947), pro parte]
Melothria foetidissima (Jacq.) G. Roberty [family CUCURBITACEAE], in Bull. I.F.A.N., sér. A, 16: 794 (1954)
Kedrostis foetidissima (Sond.) A. Meeuse subsp. obtusiloba [family CUCURBITACEAE], in Bothalia 8: 27 (1962)
Information
Glabrous to densely often glandular-hairy perennial herb climbing or trailing to 2 m., all parts giving out an offensive odour when crushed; stem becoming thickened at the base when older, arising from a tuberous root-stock. Leaf-blade sagittate, hastate, deltoid, orbicular-cordate, ovate-cordate or pentagonal in outline, ± scabrid, hairy (sometimes densely so, especially beneath), 19–93 mm. long, 13–92 mm. broad, unlobed or palmately 3(–5)-lobed; lobes subtriangular, not or rarely narrowed below; petiole 5–50 mm. long. Tendrils simple. Monoecious. Male flowers 4–11 (rarely fewer) in rather lax fascicles; peduncle filiform, 2–25 mm. long; pedicels filiform, 2–10 mm. long; receptacle-tube campanulate, simply hairy or glandular-hairy, ± 2 mm. long; lobes filiform, 1–2 mm. long; petals yellow, 3.5–4 mm. long, 1.5–2 mm. broad; stamens 3; connectives produced dorsally upwards. Female flowers solitary or paired on 2–5 mm. long stalks, sometimes coaxillary with ♂; ovary beaked, 7–9 mm. long, 2.5–3 mm. across, densely glandular-hairy; receptacle-tube campanulate, simply hairy or glandular-hairy, ± 2 mm. long; lobes subulate, 1–2 mm. long; petals ± 4–5 mm. long and 2 mm. broad. Fruits on 1–14 mm. long stalks, pyriform, usually ± (often long-) beaked, hairy, scarlet, fleshy, 9–27 mm. long, 6–13 mm. across. Seeds (fig. 23/11, p. 132) pyriform, subcompressed and narrower at the apex, inflated below, smooth, when fresh with a narrow gelatinous marginal wing, 4–6 × 2–4 × 1.5–2 mm.
Distribution
KENYA Northern Frontier Province Moyale, 28 Apr. 1952, Gillett 12963!KENYA Nairobi, Dagoretti Corner, 2 July 1952, Verdcourt 676!KENYA Masai District Ol Lorgosailic plains, 20 July 1947, Bally 5140!TANGANYIKA Shinyanga, Feb. 1933, Bax 64!TANGANYIKA Lushoto District Mombo, 24 June 1953, Drummond & Hemsley 2993!TANGANYIKA Mpanda District near Tumba, 29 Jan. 1951, Bullock 3636!UGANDA Ankole District Ruizi R., 30 Nov. 1950, Jarrett 284!UGANDA Teso District Lake Salisbury, Sept. 1941, A. S. Thomas 3995!UGANDA Mengo District near Kampala, Kajansi Forest, Mar. 1935, Chandler 1179!
![KEDROSTIS foetidissima (Jacq.) Cogn. [family CUCURBITACEAE]](/fsi/img/misc/plants/static_thumbs/flora_tropEA_icon96.jpg)