Kedrostis leloja (Forssk.) C. Jeffrey

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Along path between Livingstone Statue and Devil's Cataract viewpoint, Victoria Falls.

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Synonyms:	Kedrostis hirtella (Naudin) Cogn. Kedrostis natalensis (Hook. f.) Meeuse Rhynchocarpa hirtella Naud. Toxanthera kwebensis N.E. Br. Toxanthera lugardae N.E. Br. Toxanthera natalensis Hook. f. Turia leloja J.F. Gmel.
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Climbing herb with stems up to 2 m long, growing from a tuberous rootstock. Stems shortly bristly hairy. Tendrils simple or 2-fid. Leaves broadly ovate to pentagonal in outline, unlobed to more or less deeply 3-5-lobed, up to 7.5 × 11 cm, shortly rough hairy on both surfaces, usually more densely beneath, broadly cordate at the base; petiole up to 6 cm long. Flowers unisexual at different nodes on the same plant. Male flowers 5-20 in axillary racemes on peduncles 1.5-9 cm long; petals 2-5 mm long, cream, yellow or greenish-yellow. Female flowers solitary, axillary; petals 2.5-8 mm long. Fruit cylindric-fusiform, up to 6.5 cm long, beaked, green, often spotted pale green or white, ripening to red and splitting longitudinally.
Notes:	Some forms are generally much weaker looking with shorter stems, smaller flowers and leaves, simple tendrils and fruit with a longer beak, often found at lower altitudes. These were formerly regarded as K. leloja (s.s.) while more robust plants were named K. hirtella. The two taxa are now regarded as the same under K. leloja as the older, accepted name.
Derivation of specific name:
Habitat:	Drier deciduous woodland
Altitude range:	180 - 1350 m
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Widespread in tropical Africa, South Africa and Yemen
Mozambique distribution:	N,T
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 35. Jeffrey, C. (1978). Cucurbitaceae Flora Zambesiaca 4 Pages 484 - 486. K. leloja and K. hirtella treated separately (Includes a picture). Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 38. Reekmans, M. (1983). Cucurbitaceae Flore du Rwanda Spermatophytes Volume II Page 469. as Kedrostis hirtella Timberlake, J.R. & Childes, S.L. (2004). Biodiversity of the Four Corners Area: Technical Reviews Volume Two (Chapter 5-15) Appendix 5-1: Plant Checklist Occasional Publications in Biodiversity 15 Page 205. as Kedrostis hirtella

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Flora of Botswana: Kedrostis leloja
Flora of Caprivi: Kedrostis leloja
Flora of the DRC: Kedrostis leloja
Flora of Malawi: Kedrostis leloja
Flora of Rwanda: Kedrostis leloja
Flora of Zambia: Kedrostis leloja
Flora of Zimbabwe: Kedrostis leloja

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Kedrostis leloja
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Kedrostis leloja
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Kedrostis leloja
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Kedrostis leloja
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iNaturalist: Kedrostis leloja
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Kedrostis leloja
JSTOR Plant Science: Kedrostis leloja
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Kedrostis leloja
Plants of the World Online: Kedrostis leloja
Tropicos: Kedrostis leloja
Wikipedia: Kedrostis leloja