Momordica cissoides
Planch. ex Benth.
Cucurbitaceae
Common Name:
General Information
Momordica cissoides is a climbing or trailing herb producing stems 1 - 2 metres long that support themselves by means of tendrils[
328- Title
- African Flowering Plants Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php
- Publisher
- Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques.
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map.
,
332- Title
- The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Burkil. H. M.
- Publisher
- Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
- Year
- 1985 - 2004
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
].
The plant is sometimes gathered from the wild for local use as a food and medicine.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
Range
Tropical Africa - Sierra Leone to Sudan, Uganda and Kenya, south to Angola and Tanzania.
Habitat
Undergrowth in rain and riverine forest; secondary forest; forest edges; savannah by a stream; way sides; also ruderal; at elevations up to 1,850 metres[
328- Title
- African Flowering Plants Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php
- Publisher
- Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques.
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map.
].
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Habit | Perennial |
| Height | 1.50 m |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Not known
Edible Uses
Seed[
332- Title
- The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Burkil. H. M.
- Publisher
- Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
- Year
- 1985 - 2004
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
].
Immature fruit[
617- Title
- Traditional Vegetables in Benin
- Publication
-
- Author
- Achigan-Dako E. Et al
- Publisher
- Darwin Initiative; International Foundation for Science
- Year
- 2009
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Issued as a PDF on the Internet, it contains basic information on over 250 species of plants used for food in Benin.
].
Leaves - occasionally eaten[
617- Title
- Traditional Vegetables in Benin
- Publication
-
- Author
- Achigan-Dako E. Et al
- Publisher
- Darwin Initiative; International Foundation for Science
- Year
- 2009
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Issued as a PDF on the Internet, it contains basic information on over 250 species of plants used for food in Benin.
].
Medicinal
The plant is used in the treatment of fevers and is an ingredient of a treatment for malaria[
332- Title
- The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Burkil. H. M.
- Publisher
- Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
- Year
- 1985 - 2004
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
]. A preparation of the plant is put on the heads of children suffering from fever[
332- Title
- The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Burkil. H. M.
- Publisher
- Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
- Year
- 1985 - 2004
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
]. It is said to be used as a laxative for children.
The leaves are squeezed up in gin and a little chalk then given to pregnant women in order to promote the growth of the foetus[
332- Title
- The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Burkil. H. M.
- Publisher
- Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
- Year
- 1985 - 2004
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
].
A filtrate of the leaves is used as an eye wash to treat eye pains[
617- Title
- Traditional Vegetables in Benin
- Publication
-
- Author
- Achigan-Dako E. Et al
- Publisher
- Darwin Initiative; International Foundation for Science
- Year
- 2009
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Issued as a PDF on the Internet, it contains basic information on over 250 species of plants used for food in Benin.
].
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed -
If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.
Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
