Monk Fruit (Luo Han Guo)
Siraitia grosvenorii
Siraitia grosvenorii, commonly known as monk fruit or luo han guo, is a perennial herbaceous …
African monk fruit (Siraitia africana)
Silhouette: T. Michael Keesey
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Siraitia africana: Botanical Overview and Distribution
Hailing from the tropical forests of West and East Africa, Siraitia africana climbs over surrounding vegetation as a perennial herbaceous vine. First described by botanist Charles Jeffrey, this climbing vine is a member of the gourd family, Cucurbitaceae.
Its natural range encompasses northeastern Nigeria and southeastern Tanzania, where it climbs over forest margins. Due to its wild nature, this species remains uncultivated and is studied primarily for its biogeographical significance.
Taxonomy
- ∟ царство Plantae
- ∟ division Tracheophytes (Vascular Plants)
- ∟ subdivision Spermatophytes (Seed plants)
- ∟ Angiosperms
- ∟ mesangiosperms (Core angiosperms)
- ∟ eudicots
- ∟ Superrosids
- ∟ rosids
- ∟ order Cucurbitales
- ∟ family Cucurbitaceae
- ∟ subfamily Cucurbitoideae
- ∟ genus Siraitia (Monk Fruit Vine)
- ∟ species Siraitia africana (African monk fruit)
Morphology
This climbing vine features ribbed, slender stems equipped with simple or bifid tendrils that enable it to scale nearby vegetation. The leaves are arranged alternately along the stem, displaying a cordate shape with denticulate margins and a pubescent surface.
As a dioecious species, it bears male and female flowers on separate plants. The flowers are typically yellow or pale green, with male flowers arranged in small racemes and female flowers developing singly in leaf axils. The resulting fruit is a fleshy, globose pepo containing flattened, smooth seeds.
Interesting facts
Unlike the vast majority of species in the genus Siraitia, which are native to East and Southeast Asia, Siraitia africana is a rare geographical outlier endemic to the tropical zones of Africa.
Its disjunct distribution between West Africa and East Africa provides key evolutionary insights into the historical migration of the family Cucurbitaceae across continents.
Geography of distribution
- Nigeria
- Tanzania
Sources
See also
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