Climbers to 6 m long, annual or (sub)perennial, leafy stem 1.5-2(-3) mm diam., green on drying; monoecious. Probract absent. Tendrils unbranched, hairy (see note). Leaves simple, unlobed or lobed, margin entire or dentate, palmiveined. Flowers: Expanded corolla 5-10 mm diam., yellow; sepals minute, narrowly elliptic or linear, subpatent; petals imbricate in bud, free, (ob)ovate-elliptic; receptacle-tube campanulate; disc present. Male inflorescence 1(-3) slender peduncled short raceme(s) with the flowers (pedicels) crowded at apex, co-axillary with 1 (or 2) female flower(s) or not; bracts absent. Male flowers: pedicel short, persistent; stamens 3, exserted, inserted in the throat of the receptacle-tube, erect, filaments long, anthers all 2-thecous, thecae lateral, straight, connective narrow, not produced; disc free, (depressed-)globose. Female flowers 1 or 2 co-axillary with peduncle of male inflorescence or not; pedicel usually long; ovary globose or ellipsoid, without slender neck; stigma consisting of 3 rather long flat lobes, cleft or notched at apex, fringed on the margin; staminodes present; disc annular, free from receptacle-tube. Fruit 1 (or 2), ripening red, with short or long fruiting pedicel, globose, ellipsoid, or narrowly ellipsoid (fusiform), 1-1.5(-3) cm long, juicy or pulpy; exocarp filmy, membranous or cartilaginous, smooth. Seeds numerous, moderately compressed, ovate-elliptic, faces ± convex, scrobiculate, margin distinct, edge (sub)entire, not winged
More
Herbs, climbing, annual or perennial. Leaves petiolate, unlobed or lobed. Tendrils simple, hairy. Plants monoecious. Male flowers shortly racemose; calyx campanulate, 5-lobed; corolla yellow; segments 5; stamens 3, inserted on throat of tube; filaments longer than anthers; anthers all 2-celled, anther cells straight; connectives not produced; rudimentary ovary subglobose. Female flowers 1 or 2, often coaxillary with male flowers; calyx and corolla as in male flowers; ovary ellipsoid-globose, 3-locular; ovules numerous, horizontal; style surrounded at base by an annular disk; stigmas 3. Fruit globose to fusiform, indehiscent. Seeds numerous, ovoid-ellipsoid, somewhat compressed, faces scrobiculate.
Home
