Citrullus mucosospermus (T.B.Fursa), 1983

Umoh, Omodot Timothy & Bassey, Margaret Emmanuel, 2021, Morphology and distribution of species of the family Cucurbitaceae in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, Phytotaxa 508 (2), pp. 107-128 : 112-113

2. Citrullus mucosospermus (T.B.Fursa) Fursa (1983: 111) ( Fig. 4 )

Basionym:— Citrillus lanatus subsp. mucosospermus Fursa (1972: 38) .

Local Name: —Ikpan (Annang), Ikon (Ibibio).

Common Name: —Melon.

Habitat: —Cultivated farmland.

Description:— Herb, trailing, can be pendant. Stem herbaceous, trailing, angular, pubescent, 0.5–0.7 cm diam.; tendrils 2-fid. Leaves simple, alternately arranged, petiolate, glabrous, palmately lobed with 5 lobes, green; petiole cylindrical, herbaceous, 4–7 cm long. Inflorescence solitary, axillary, emanating from leaf node, pedunculate, peduncle 2–3 cm long, pubescent. Flowers pentamerous; calyx with 5 sepals, pubescent; corolla with 5 petals, yellow, 1.5–2.0 cm long. Fruit pepos, circular, cylindrical, irregular, green, sometimes with patches of deep green or deep green strands, many seeded. Seed flat, 1.0–1.5 × 0.7–0.9 cm.

Location in Akwa Ibom:— Ini, Essien Udim, Oruk Anam, Obot Akara, Ikot Ekpene, Ibiono, Uyo, Ibesikpo Asutan, Nsit Atai, Nsit Ubium, Mkpat Enin, Ikot Abasi, Oron, Mbo, and Eastern Obolo .

Abundance:— It existed in 100% of the sampling points, where it was abundant in 53%, frequent in 27%, and rare in 20% of the sampling areas.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Citrullus mucosospermus. A. Fruiting plant in habitat. B. Morphological features showing (A) Flower section. (B) Fruit. (C) Seed. (D) Leaf. (E) Tendrils.