(Redirected from Luffa operculata)
Luffa sepium
(G.Mey.) C.Jeffrey
Cucurbitaceae
Cucumis sepium G.Mey.
Luffa astorii Svenson
Luffa operculata (L.) Cogn.
Luffa purgans (Mart.) Mart.
Momordica operculata L.
Momordica purgans Mart.
Common Name:
General Information
Luffa sepium is a scrambling annual herb with tendrilled stems that scramble over the ground, rocks and low shrubs[
428- Title
- Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol. 65
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden
- Year
- 1978
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent botanical publication, available for download from the Internet. This volume contains parts of the Flora of Panama.
]
The plant is often locally cultivated in its native area as a medicinal plant and for the fruit, which can be used to make a sponge[
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
428- Title
- Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol. 65
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden
- Year
- 1978
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent botanical publication, available for download from the Internet. This volume contains parts of the Flora of Panama.
Range
S. America - Brazil, Bolivia and Peru, north to Panama.
Habitat
Scrambling over rocks and low shrubs in thickets, open areas, usually near the edge of rivers, ponds, or in coastal plains[
428- Title
- Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol. 65
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden
- Year
- 1978
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent botanical publication, available for download from the Internet. This volume contains parts of the Flora of Panama.
]
Properties
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Annual |
| Height | 0.00 m |
| Cultivation Status | Cultivated, Wild |
Cultivation Details
Not known
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
The plant is used medicinally[
]. It contains cucurbitacins and saponins, which act as purgatives[
].
Other Uses
The fruits, after the removal of the soft material, can be used as sponges[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
428- Title
- Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol. 65
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden
- Year
- 1978
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent botanical publication, available for download from the Internet. This volume contains parts of the Flora of Panama.
].
Propagation
Seed -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
