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male flowers 4–5(18) in bracteate, pedunculate, subumbelliform fascicles; peduncle 5–17 cm. long; bract 10–35 mm. long, closely subtending the flowers, suborbicular, cucullate; pedicels 3–12(22) mm. long. Receptacle-tube 4–7 mm. long, lobes 6–11 mm. long, greenish to black, triangular-lanceolate, obtuse, apiculate. Petals 1·5–3·2 cm. long, white or yellowish, greenish-black at the base, obovate.
Female flowers on 0·6–3 cm. long peduncles, sometimes apically bracteate; ovary 18–32 × 3–3·5 mm., fusiform, ridged; receptacle-tube 1–3·5 mm. long, lobes 4–6 mm. long, narrowly triangular, obtuse to acute; petals 13–20 mm. long.
Fruit 5–6 × 2–2·2 cm., ellipsoid, rostrate, longitudinally winged, bright orange, dehiscent into 3 valves; fruit-stalk 3–8·5 cm. long.
Seeds c. 10 × 7 × 3 mm., enveloped by orange pulp, oblong, compressed, with sculptured faces and smooth grooved margins.
Stems prostrate or scandent to 8 m., shortly finely crispate-pubescent, arising from perennial tuberous rootstock.
Petiole 0·6–5·5 cm. long, crispate-pubescent.
A pumpkin family herb.
Flowers dioecious.
Tendrils 2-fid.
