Luffa acutangula
Luffa acutangula
Safety & Hazards
Some forms of this plant can be very bitter, and are then somewhat toxic[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ].
Botanical Description
Luffa acutangula is a vigorous annual climbing plant producing long stems that scramble over the ground or climb into nearby vegetation, supporting themselves by means of tendrils. A popular vegetable in southeast Asia, where the mildly bitter flavour, the slightly spongy texture and sweet juiciness are appreciated. The fruit is also the source of fibres that are commonly used for making skin brushes, dish cleaners etc, though the fruit from the related Luffa aegyptica is generally considered to be superior for these purposes[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ]. The plant also has various traditional medicinal uses and is employed as a pesticide. It is often cultivated for these purposes in tropical regions of the world, and is sometimes also grown as an ornamental to provide a fast-growing screen[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ].