7. Luffa aegyptiaca Miller (1768: pages unnumbered) (Fig. 9)

Synonyms:— Momordica cylindrica Linnaeus (1753: 1009).

Momordica luffa Linnaeus (1753: 1009).

Local name: —Akusa (Annang), Kusa (Ibibio).

Common name: —Sponge gourd.

Habitat: —Waste dump sites, uncompleted buildings, unpainted fences, roadsides, fallow bush.

Description: —Herb, trailing and climbing; moenoecious. Stem herbaceous, climbing, pubescent, angular, 0.3–0.6 cm diam.; tendrils 3- to 4-fid, spirally coiled. Leaves simple, alternately arranged, petiolate, hairy on both surfaces, palmately lobed with 5 joined lobes, green, apex acute, margin dentate, 8.2–17 × 9–19 cm; petiole cylindrical, herbaceous, 4–8 cm long, hairy. Inflorescence racemose for male flowers with about 5–20 flower buds, solitary for female flowers; pedunculate, peduncle 10–31 cm long; pedicel 1.5–2.0 cm long; flowers 3 × 8–9 cm; calyx with 5 green, free sepals; corolla with 5 yellow, free imbricate petals, pubescent on both surfaces, 3–5 × 2–4 cm, androecium parts 5. Fruit pepos, cylindrical, green when fresh, brown and paper-like when dry, produces sponge bearing many seeds. Seed flat, black.

Location in Akwa Ibom:— Ini, Essien Udim, Oruk Anam, Obot Akara, Ikot Ekpene, Ibiono, Uyo, Ibesikpo Asutan, Nsit Atai, Nsit Ubium, Mkpat Enin, Ikot Abasi, Oron, Mbo, and Eastern Obolo.

Abundance:— It existed in 100% of the sampling areas, where it was abundant in 73%, frequent in 21%, and rare in 6% of the sampling areas.