Cucurbitaceae FAMILY

Luffa sepium

Edibility

0/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

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[ 317 Title Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants Publication Author Website http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336 Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Terse details of a huge range of useful plants. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical

Native RangeS. America - Brazil, Bolivia and Peru, north to Panama.

HabitatScrambling 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. ]