Coccinia sessilifolia (Sond.) Cogn. var. sessilifolia

Holstein, Norbert, 2015, Monograph of Coccinia (Cucurbitaceae), PhytoKeys 54, pp. 1-166 : 115-117

23a. Coccinia sessilifolia (Sond.) Cogn. var. sessilifolia

Cephalandra sessilifolia Sond. in Harv. & Sond., Fl. Cap. 2: 493. 1862. Coccinia sessilifolia (Sond.) Cogn. in A.DC. & C.DC., Monogr. Phan. 3: 534. 1881.

Coccinia sessilifolia (Sond.) Cogn. var. sessilifolia Type: South Africa. Vaal river, J. Burke 289 (Syntypes: K! [K000313207, digital image: K], PRE, SAM).

Coccinia sessilifolia (Sond.) Cogn. var. sessilifolia Type: South Africa. Slengerfontein in Nieuwe Hantom [area where the provinces Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Free State meet], on rocks, 4500-5000 ft, female, fr, 1839, J.F. Drège 3375 (Lectotype, designated here: P! [P00346268, digital image: P]).

Coccinia sessilifolia (Sond.) Cogn. var. sessilifolia Type: South Africa. Nieuwe Hantom, on rocks, 4500-5000 ft, 1839, J.F. Drège s.n. (Syntypes: BR! [BR0000005111596, digital image: BR], G! [G00301769], K! [K000313206, digital image: K], L!, P! [P00346270, digital image: P], S! [S08-12468, digital image: JPS, S], W! [W 0026938: digital image: WU]).

Coccinia sessilifolia (Sond.) Cogn. var. sessilifolia Type: South Africa. Transvaal, C.L.P. Zeyher 580 (Syntypes: BM! p.p., E! [E00303259], K! p.p. [K000313205, digital image: K], P! p.p. [P00346271, digital image: P]).

Coccinia sessilifolia var. major Cogn. in Schinz, Verh. Bot. Ver. Provinz Brandenburg 30: 152. 1889.

Coccinia sessilifolia (Sond.) Cogn. var. sessilifolia Type: Namibia. Hereroland, male, fl, 1885, A. Lüderitz 133 (Lectotype, designated here: Z!).

Coccinia sessilifolia (Sond.) Cogn. var. sessilifolia Type: Namibia. Walvis bay to Odyitambi, Dec 1885-Feb 1886, A. Lüderitz 1a (Syntype: Z!).

Coccinia schinzii Cogn., Bull. Herb. Boiss. 3: 419. 1895.

Coccinia sessilifolia (Sond.) Cogn. var. sessilifolia Type: South Africa. Transvaal: Klippan [according to Meuse (1962) in Limpopo: Greater Sikhukhune District Municipality, Doornpoort; 24°37'S, 29°26'E], bushveld, 1875-1880, A. Rehmann 5162 (Lectotype, designated by Meeuse (1962: 98): Z! [Z-000004446, digital image: Z], isolectotype: BR! [BR0000005112265, digital image: BR, JPS]).

Description.

Perennial climber or creeper. Stems up to 5 m long, with slight waxy cover, glaucous (Figs 2b, 7b), glabrous (first shoots may have short, white trichomes). Leaves sessile to amplexicaul (first leaves after appearance of stem can be distinctly petiolate, rarely also when mature (up to 1.5 cm; Figs 2b, 4b, 7b)), glaucous, 1.5-12.5 × 2.2-13.5 cm, (cordate to) deeply palmately 5-lobate. Lobes linear, lanceolate to elliptic. Leaf margin remotely denticulate, with or without lobules. Lobe apex obtuse to acute, apiculate. Upper leaf surface glabrous, clear to white pustulate. Lower leaf surface glabrous, sometimes with dark glands near base of lamina. Probracts up to 1.7 mm or missing. Tendrils simple, very rarely bifid. Male flowers solitary or clustered in few-(rarely many-)flowered racemes (Figs 2b, 7b). Pedicels of solitary flowers 1-4 cm, glabrous. Peduncle 1-6 cm long, glabrous. Pedicels of flowers in racemes 0.3-2.5 cm, glabrous. Bracts glabrous, up to 1.8 mm, or missing. Perianth tube glabrous, calyx lobes 1.5-3.5 mm long, lanceolate to (narrow) triangulate, erect to reflexed. Corolla 1.5-3 cm long, whitish cream to pale yellow, rarely dull orange-brown with conspicuous green venation, lobes 0.9-2 cm. Filament column not seen, anther head not seen, pollen sacs yellow. Female flowers one solitary. Pedicel 1-3 cm, glabrous. Hypanthium glabrous, calyx and corolla like in males. Ovary glabrous. Style columnar, greenish yellow. Stigmas bulging, greenish yellow. Fruit 8-12 × 3-4 cm, ellipsoid to oblong, when immature green with white longitudinal spots to stripes with waxy bloom, ripe red (Fig. 13b). Seeds 6-8 × 3-3.5 × 1-1.5 mm (L/W/H), symmetrically to slightly asymmetrically obovate, face flat (Fig. 14d, e).

Phenology.

Flowering time: January-May, October-December.

Distribution.

Fig. 40. South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, except high mountains, hyper-arid regions, and Cape floristic region. Elevation 300-1500 m. Stony soil, sand, sandy loam, clay loam. Granite or calcareous substrate. Semi-desert, grassland (e.g., Rhynchelytrum sp.), bushland, open woodland. Full sun to shade. Moderate disturbance tolerated.

Use.

Unripe fruits are baked in ashes and eaten ( Dinter 1912), ripe fruits edible (N. Holstein 119, R.H.W. Seydel 3829, R.H.W. Seydel 4100).

Vernacular names.

Afrikaans: bobbejaan komkommer (C.A. Smith 3981), Otjiherero: ekungu (singular), omakungu (plural) ( Dinter 1912; 1919/20), Tswana: mogábalá (J. Snyman & C. Noailles 229),!Kun [Kung]: kitwa (R. Story 5167).

Taxonomic remarks.

The C.L.P. Zeyher 580 specimens (syntype) in BM, K, and P are mixed with a Trochomeria sp.

Specimens examined.

(Selection, in total: 184) Botswana. Central District: Mahalapye, 2 mls [3.8 km] SW of Kalamare, H.J. van Rensburg B4019 (PRE). Kgatleng: 15 km SE of Artesia (Mosomane), D.T. Cole 1542 (PRE). North-West District: Aha Hills, H. Wild & R.B. Drummond 6953 (COI). South-East District: Lobatsi [Lobatse], F.A. Rogers 6281 (G, Z). Namibia. Erongo: Karibib, Okongawa, R.H.W. Seydel 3026 (B (2), COI, FR (2), G (3), H, HEID, M, WAG [WAG0234195], WAG [WAG0234197]). Khomas: [Farm] Aris, mountain in the west, R.H.W. Seydel 4100 (B (2), M, MO) and 4100a (B (2)). Oshana: Amboland, Uukuanjama [Oukwanyama], Omupanda, A. Wulfhorst 18 (Z). Otjozondjupa: 32 mls [51.2 km] N of Nurugas on road to Karakuwisa, B. de Winter 3710 (M, PRE). South Africa. Eastern Cape: in valley near Graaff-Reinet, H. Bolus 364 (S [S08-12381]). Free State: Kroonstad townland, NE of confluence of Blomspruit and Vals river, J.C. Scheepers 1720 (EA, LISU, PRE, S [S08-12461). Gauteng: Pretoria, Brummeria, Botanical Garden, A. Balsinhas 3406 (MO, PRE, WAG [WAG0234191]); ibid., A. Balsinhas 3476 (MO, PRE, WAG [WAG0234190]). Limpopo: Penge mine, E. Retief 1354 (MO, PRE, WAG [WAG0234188]); c. 30 mls [48 km] W of Louis Trichardt, western part of Zoutpansberg, near Mara, Buysdorp, H.J.E. Schlieben 7453 (B, G, HBG, M). Mpumalanga: Blyderivierspoort Nature Reserve, Sybrand van Niekerk resort at camp area, E. Retief 1340 (PRE, MO, WAG [WAG0234187]), ibid., E. Retief 1341 (PRE). Northern Cape: Colesburg, Achtertang, 16 Apr 1934, J.O. Swinford s.n. (PRE [PRE42988]). North West: near Klerksdorp, H.J.E. Schlieben 10695 (HEID, PRE, S [S08-12463]); 60 mls [96 km] NW of Vryburg, Farm Palmyra, R.J. Rodin 3605 (MO, P [P05620787], PRE).