Luffa aegyptiaca Mill. var. alba R.C.Misra, 2025

Misra, Ramesh Chandra & Karmakar, Pradip, 2025, A new taxonomic variety of Luffa aegyptiaca Mill. (Cucurbitaceae): a wild sponge gourd from Odisha, India, Adansonia (3) 47 (17), pp. 311-318 : 314

Luffa aegyptiaca Mill. var. alba R.C.Misra , var. nov.

( Fig. 2 A-J; 3)

DIAGNOSIS. — Luffa aegyptiaca var. alba R.C.Misra var. nov. closely resembles to the typical variety Luffa aegyptiaca var. aegyptiaca , but differs from it in having puberulent and scabrous stem vs glabrous and smooth stem; leaves smaller, 7-15 × 6-14 cm vs 15-25 (30) × 15-25 cm, puberulent and scabrous vs glabrous and smooth; smaller petiole 1-5 cm vs 7-12 cm; smaller male raceme 12-25 cm vs 25-40 cm; smaller bracts 2-3 mm vs 4-7.5 mm, smaller calyx tube 4-7 mm vs 7.5-10 mm and lobes acute, 10-15 × 3-7 mm vs acuminate, 20-30 × 10- 15 mm; smaller male flower 5-7.5 cm vs 8-10 cm, pedicel < 1 cm vs 1-2 cm and female flower 7-9 cm vs 10-13 cm across; smaller fruits 7-20 × 5-8 cm vs 15-45 × 6-10 cm; seeds white, fewer, margin wingless vs black or dark grey, many and distinctly winged ( Fig. 2K, L)

TYPE MATERIAL. — India • Odisha, Malkangiri district, Malkangiri block , nearby village MV-43 ; 18°19.268’N, 81°52.671’E; elevation 180 m; 09.XII.2018; R.C.Misra HS no. 1550-1552; holotype: NHCP !; isotype: CAL!; seed germplasm acc. no. IC-636424 (collection no. RCM/PK/BR/42 ); biological status: wild; frequency: rare; local names: “Pulu”, “Bana potala”, “Bana jahni” (Odia).

HABITAT AND ECOLOGY. — Population of two plants was growing wild in partly disturbed open scrub land. Climbers were trailed on bushes and trees on undulated landmass in disturbed sites near village MV-43. The tribal/rural inhabitants reported that the tender fruits are very bitter and occasionally cooked with other vegetables like pumpkin and tomato after double boiling the gourd till the bitterness reduces.

PHENOLOGY. — Flowering: October-November; Fruiting: December-January.

ETYMOLOGY. — The infra-specific epithet (variety) alba refers to the white colour of seeds.

CONSERVATION STATUS. — Two different populations of the new taxon Luffa aegyptiaca var. alba R.C.Misra , var. nov. were recorded during the exploration survey in the wastelands near disturbed areas of Malkangiri and Mayurbhanj districts of Odisha. The surrounding area is in danger of threats of possible biotic interferences of agriculture and colony encroachment and likely to face abrupt habitat loss. However, the data is inadequate to ascertain the conservation category. Hence, the variety can be included in the category of DD (Data Deficient), as further exploration is needed to access the exact size and range of distribution ( IUCN 2022).

ADDITIONAL SPECIMENS EXAMINED. — India • Odisha, Mayurbhanj district, Samakhunta block, nearby village: Chipat Astia ; 21°56.871’N, 86°43.097’E; 463 ft.; 18.XII.2019; R. C. Misra, HS no.1557-1558; seed germplasm acc.no.IC-636431 (collection no.RCM/PK/19/08); biological status:wild; frequency:rare; local name:“Palla”, “Pita jahni” (Odia) . DESCRIPTION

Large, fast growing, monoecious, prostrate or scandent annual climbing herb. Stem and branches puberulent, scabrous, sulcate, sometimes twisted; tendril 3-fid. Leaves narrowly orbicular-reniform to hastate, 7-15 × 6-14 cm, base deeply cordate, palmately 5-7 lobed, with deep basal sinus, apex acuminate, lobes shallow or deep, margin distantly thindenticulate, puberulous, hairy on nerves beneath, scabrous above or on both sides, upper surface glandular-punctate; petiole puberulent, scabrous, 1-5 cm, base pulvinous. Flowers dioecious, bright yellow, male and female often on the same axil, either staminate and sterile or pistillate and fertile. Male flowers: racemes 12-25 cm long, in loose clusters; bracts linear to spathulate, 2-3 mm, with 1-5 glands on surface; pedicel < 1cm, jointed near the top. Calyx broadly campanulate; tube short, 4-7 mm; lobes 5, 10-15 × 3-7 mm; lanceolate, reflexed above, puberulent, 3-veined, tapering towards apex, acuminate. Corolla spreading, bright yellow, 5.0- 7.5 cm across, rotate, thinly hairy; petals 5, oblong, wedge shaped, 2.5-3.5 × 1-2 cm; densely villous inside, base attenuate, apex rounded-obtuse. Stamens usually 5, perfect, borne on calyx tube, free, inserted near mouth of the calyx tube; all 1-celled; sometimes 3, one 1-celled and two 2-celled; filaments 6-8 mm, villous at base, connate at first later free; anthers narrow, twisted. Female flowers: solitary, co-axillary with male flowers, peduncle 5-8cm; calyx glandular, lobes 5, up to 1.6 cm long; corolla 5, 7-9 cm across, deep yellow, petals 4.0 × 3.0 cm; staminodes 3-5, imperfect, on the disc at the base of corolla, yellowish white, pointed at apex; pistil 1, ovary oblong to narrowly cylindric, 1-celled, appressed villous, style columnar; stigma 3- lobed, 2- cleft on both sides from middle; ovules many. Fruit pepo, oblong-cylindric, blunt at both ends, club shaped, 3-celled, smooth, ecostate, 7-20 × 5-8 cm, marked with longitudinal stripes; operculated, opening at apex by a lid when ripe, filled within with strong fibres which are branched and netted. Seeds ovate, smooth, not beaked, many, average 30-80 per fruit, white, margin wingless or wings indistinct, 11-12 × 7-8 mm, c. 2 mm thick, embedded in pulp when young.

KEY TO THE VARIETIES OF LUFFA AEGYPTIACA MILL.

1. Seeds black or dark grey, margin distinctly winged; stem glabrous, petiole 7.0-12.0 cm, male raceme 25-40 cm, pedicel 1-2 cm, calyx tube 7.5-10.0 mm, female flowers 10-13 cm across, corolla 8-10 cm across, fruits 15-45 × 6-10 cm................................................................................................. Luffa aegyptiaca var. aegyptiaca Mill.

— Seeds white or off-white, margin not winged; stem puberulous, petiole up to 5 cm, male raceme 12-25 cm, pedicel < 1 cm, calyx tube 4-7 mm, female flowers 7-9 cm, corolla 5.0- 7.5 cm across, fruits 7-20 × 5-8 cm................................................................................................. Luffa aegyptiaca var. alba R.C.Misra , var. nov.