Cucumeropsis mannii

Cucumeropsis mannii
Cucumeropsis mannii
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Cucurbitales
Family: Cucurbitaceae
Genus: Cucumeropsis
Species: C. mannii
Binomial name
Cucumeropsis mannii
Naudin
Synonyms

Cladosicyos edulis
Cucumeropsis edulis

Cucumeropsis mannii is a species of melon native to tropical Africa west of the Great Rift Valley, where it is grown for food[1] and as a source of oil. Its common names include egusi in Yoruba and agushi in Hausa. In English it is known as Mann's cucumeropsis and white-seed melon. It produces climbing vines up to 4 meters long which are covered in stiff hairs. The heart-shaped or roughly palmate leaves are up to 12 centimeters long and 14 wide. It bears small yellow male and female flowers with petals under a centimeter in length. The fruit is egg-shaped or an elongated ovate shape, up to about 19 centimeters long and 8 wide, and cream in color with green streaks. The fruit and white seeds are edible. The plant is grown more often for the seed oil than for the fruit.

References

  1. ^ Obute, Gordian C.; B. C. Ndukwu, O. Florence Chukwu (2007-11-05). "Targeted mutagenesis in Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. and Cucumeropsis mannii (NAUD) in Nigeria". African Journal of Biotechnology (Lagos, Nigeria: Academic Journal) 6 (21): 2467–2472. http://www.academicjournals.org/AJB. Retrieved 2008-04-04. 

External links

Further reading

  • Mbuli-Lingundi, Y., et al. (1983). Chemical composition of seeds from Cucumeropsis mannii Naudin and their suitability as food. Z Lebensm Unters Forsch. 177(1) 37-40. (German language article)