Raphidiocystis chrysocoma (Schumach.) C. Jeffrey

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Photo: Stefaan Dondeyne
Tava marsh, Moribane forest, Mozambique

Photo: Stefaan Dondeyne
Chimanimani conservation area, in Zomba community land, along Muvumodzi stream

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Synonyms:	Cucumis chrysocomus Schumach. Raphidiocystis caillei Hutch & Dalziel Raphidiocystis welwitschii Hook. f.
Common names:
Frequency:	Probably rare
Status:	Native
Description:	Climbing herb. Stems up to 6 m long with simple tendrils. Leaves simple, ovate in outline, up to 13 × 9 cm leaflets, unlobed to shallowly 3-5-lobed, cordate at the base, variously hairy; margin with widely separated small teeth. Flowers unisexual, yellow; male flowers in 4-6-flowered clusters, female clusters 1-2-flowered on longer peduncles. Fruit subspherical to ellipsoid, up to 5 × 3.5 cm, densely covered with long spreading, reddish-yellow to reddish-brown bristles.
Notes:	Note: This species appears to have a rather disjunct distribution but may well have been overlooked. It is known from widely separated populations in West Africa; northern Angola and western DRC; eastern DRC and Uganda and appearing again in coastal Tanzania. Until now it was only known from a single isolated record on the Rusitu River in Zimbabwe (Wild 5734, 24-03-1962, COI, K, SRGH). It is possible, even likely, that the species occurs elsewhere in Mozambique, linking the populations in Tanzania to the records from Moribane and Zimbabwe.
Derivation of specific name:	chrysocoma: with golden hair (referring to the fruits)
Habitat:	Occurring in riverine and evergreen forest.
Altitude range:
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	From Guinée to Togo, Angola, DRC, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zimbabwe.
Mozambique distribution:	MS
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Saturday 8 August 2009
Literature:	Jeffrey, C. (1978). Cucurbitaceae Flora Zambesiaca 4 Pages 440 - 442. (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 39.

Other sources of information about Raphidiocystis chrysocoma:

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Flora of Zimbabwe: Raphidiocystis chrysocoma

External websites:

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