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.
