Abstract
A study of the family Cucurbitaceae in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, was carried out in 15 Local Government Areas in different ecological zones across the State, where collections were made between May 2017 and June 2018. A total of eleven species in nine genera were collected: Citrullus lanatus, Citrullus mucosospermus, Cucumis sativus, Cucurbita maxima, Lagenaria siceraria, Lagenaria sphaerica, Luffa aegyptiaca, Momordica charantia, Siraitia africana, Telfairia occidentalis, and Trichosanthes cucumerina. Variation in morphology were seen in the investigated species in the stem shape that were cylindrical or angular, the compound or simple types of leaves, the indumentum of the leaf, the acute or acuminate leaf apices, the yellow or white petals, the cylindrical, spherical or irregular fruit shape, the lanceolate or irregular seed shape, and the pubescent or smooth seed. Cultivated cucurbits collected were 65% of the species investigated, while 35% occurred in the wild. A survey of the Cucurbitaceae collections in the Forest Herbarium Ibadan showed only four species recorded for Akwa Ibom State, of which only Luffa aegyptica was identified and collected in the course of this work. More cultivation should be encouraged, as this will serve as a conservation measure for cucurbits in the State.
References
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<p>Fursa T.B. (1972) K sistematike roda <em>Citrullus</em> Schrad. (On the taxonomy of genus <em>Citrullus</em> Schrad.). <em>Botanicheskii Zhurnal</em> 57: 31–41.</p>
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<p>Kuntze, O. (1891) <em>Revisio generum plantarum: vascularium omnium atque cellularium multarum secundum leges nomeclaturae internationales cum enumeratione plantarum exoticarum in itinere mundi collectarum</em>. Vol. 1. A. Felix, Leipzig, 374 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.124064</p>
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<p>Li, J.Q. (1993) A revision of the genus <em>Siratitia</em> Merr. and two new genera of Cucurbitaceae. <em>Acta Phytotaxonomica Sinica</em> 31 (1): 43–55. https://www.jse.ac.cn/EN/Y1993/V31/I1/45</p>
<p>Linnaeus, C. (1753) <em>Species Plantarum</em>. Vol. 2<em>. </em>Salvius, Stockholm, 639 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.669</p>
<p>Linnaeus, C. (1763) <em>Species Plantarum</em>. Vol. 2. 2<sup>nd</sup> Ed. Laurentii Salvii, Stockholm, 899 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.11179</p>
<p>Lu, A.M. & Zhang, Z.Y. (1984) The genus <em>Siraitia </em>Merr. in China. <em>Guihaia</em> 4 (1): 27–33.</p>
<p>Matsumura, J. & Nakai, T. (1916) <em>Catalogus seminum et sporarum in Horto Botanico Universitatis Imperialis Tokyoensis per annos 1915 et 1916 lectorum</em>. Imperialis, Tokyo, 33 pp.</p>
<p>Maynard, D. & Maynard, D. (2000) Cucumbers, melons, and watermelons. <em>In</em>: Kniple, K.F. & Orneles, K.C. (Eds.) <em>The Cambridge World history of food</em>. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 298–313. https://doi.org/10.1017/CHOL9780521402149.032</p>
<p>Meyer, E.H.F. (1843) <em>Zwei pflanzengeographische documente, nebst einer Einleitung</em> <em>(Besondere Beigabe zur Flora 1843 Band II). </em>Publisher and place of publication not identified, 230 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.87612</p>
<p>Miller, P. (1768) <em>Gardeners Dictionary.</em> 8<sup>th</sup> Ed. John & Francis Rivington, London, pages unnumbered. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.541</p>
<p>Molina, G.I. (1782) <em>Saggio sulla storia naturale del Chili</em>. S. Tommaso d’Aquino, Bologona, 367 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.62689</p>
<p>Morris, D.I. (2009) Cucurbitaceae. <em>Flora of Tasmania Online </em>65: 1–4. [https://flora.tmag.tas.gov.au/pdf/Cucurbitaceae_2019_1.pdf]</p>
<p>Okon, O.G., Abraham, N.A. & Akpan, G.U. (2014) Nutritional evaluation, medicinal value and antibacterial activity of leaves of <em>Cucurbita maxima </em>D. <em>International Journal of Research</em> 1 (8): 1346–1350.</p>
<p>Okon, O., Williams, A., Andrew, N., Atoyebi, B., Ezeh, P. & Udosen, I. (2015) An assessment of the phytochemicals and antibacterial activity of seed extract of <em>Citrullus lanatus </em>(Watermelon). <em>International Journal of Research & Review</em> 2 (4): 148–156.</p>
<p>Petermann, G.L. (1838) <em>Flora Lipsiensis excursoria, exhibens plantas phanerogamas circa Lipsiam tam sponte nascentes, quam in agris cultas, simul cum arboribus et fruticibus pomerii lipsiensis.</em> J.A. Barth, Leipzig, 707 pp.</p>
<p>Roberty, G.E. (1954) Notes sur la flore de l’Ouest-Africain. <em>Bulletin de l’Institut Française d’Afrique Noire, Sér. A, Sciences Naturelles</em> 16 (3): 774–795. [http://horizon.documentation.ird.fr/exl-doc/pleins_textes/pleins_textes_6/b_fdi_39-40/43298.pdf]</p>
<p>Roemer, M.J. (1846) Synopsis monographica e classe Peponigerarum Meisn. <em>Familiarum Naturalium Regni Vegetabilis Synopses Monographicae</em>, Fasc. 2. Landes-Indistrie-Comptoir, Weimar, I–X, 1–222 pp. [https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/33501588#page/173/mode/1up]</p>
<p>Schaefer, H. & Renner, S. (2011) Phylogenetic relationships in the order Cucurbitales and a new classification of the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae). <em>Taxon</em> 60: 122–138. https://doi.org/10.1002/tax.601011</p>
<p>Schrader, H.A. (1831) <em>Index Seminum Horti Academici Gottingensis</em>. Gottingen, 6 pp.</p>
<p>Seringe, N.C. (1825) <em>Mémoire sur les Cucurbitacées</em> 3 (1): 1–32. [https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/10398151#page/9/mode/1up]</p>
<p>Shukla, R.S. & Chandel, P.S. (1972) <em>A textbook of plant ecology including ethnobotany and soil science. </em>S. Chand & Company LTD, New Dehli, 562 pp.</p>
<p>Spach, P.M.E. (1838) <em>Historoire naturelle des végétaux. Phanerogames.</em> Vol. 6. Librairie encyclopédique de Roret, Paris, 588 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.44839</p>
<p>Standley, P.C. (1930) Flora of Yucatan. <em>Publications of the Field Museum of Natural History. Botanical Series</em> 3 (3): 157–492. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.2354</p>
<p>Thunberg, C.P. (1794) <em>Prodromus Plantarum Capensicum</em>. Vol. 1. J. Edman, Uppsala, 83 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.84</p>
<p>Bassey, M.E. & Denise, E.M. (2013) <em>Practical procedures in botany, </em>Vol. 2<em>.</em> Abaam Publishing Co., Uyo, pp. 70–75.</p>
<p>Browne, P. (1756) <em>The civil and natural history of Jamaica: in three parts</em>. T. Osborne & J. Shipton, London, 503 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.10826</p>
<p>De Candolle, A.P. (1828) <em>Prodromus systematis naturalis regni vegetabilis.</em> Vol. 3. Treuttel & Würtz, Paris, 494 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.286</p>
<p>De Candolle, A.P. & De Candolle, C. (1881) <em>Monographiæ phanerogamarum: Prodromi nunc continuatio, nunc revisio</em>. Vol. 3. G. Masson, Paris, 1009 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.45961</p>
<p>De Jussieu, A.L. (1789) <em>Genera Plantarum</em>. Herissant & Theophilum Barrois, Paris, 498 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.284</p>
<p>Duchesne, A.N. (1786) <em>Essai sur l’histoire naturelle des courges</em>. Panckoucke, Paris, 46 pp.</p>
<p>Ecklon, C. & Zeyher, C. (1836) <em>Enumeratio plantarum Africae australis extratropicae qua collectae, determinatae et expositae.</em>Vol. 2. Perthes & Besser, Hamburg, 255 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.48</p>
<p>Fursa T.B. (1972) K sistematike roda <em>Citrullus</em> Schrad. (On the taxonomy of genus <em>Citrullus</em> Schrad.). <em>Botanicheskii Zhurnal</em> 57: 31–41.</p>
<p>Fursa, T.B. (1983) Npvyi vid arbuza <em>Citrullus mucosospermus</em> (Fursa) Fursa. (A new species of watermelon <em>Citrullus mucosospermus</em> (Fursa) Fursa) <em>Trudy po Prikladnoj Botanike, Genetike i Selekcii. Ser. 2 </em>81: 108–112.</p>
<p>Government of Akwa Ibom State (2019) Akwa Ibom State history. Available from: https://akwaibomstate.gov.ng/about-akwa-ibom (accessed 20 January 2019)</p>
<p>Gurbuz, I., Akyuz, C., Yesilada, E. & Sener, B. (2000) Anti-ulcerrogenic effects of <em>Momordica charantia </em>L. fruits on various ulcer models in rats. <em>Journal of Ethnopharmacology </em>71: 77–82. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-8741(99)00178-6</p>
<p>Harvey, W.H. & Sonder, O.W. (1862) <em>Flora Capensis</em>. Vol. 2. L. Reeve, Kent, 621 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.821</p>
<p>Hooker, J.D. (1871) Cucurbitaceae. <em>In</em>: Oliver, D. (Ed.) <em>Flora of Tropical Africa,</em> Vol. II: <em>Leguminosae to Ficoideae</em>. L. Reeve & Co., London, pp. 521–569. [https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/407501#page/527/mode/1up]</p>
<p>Hooker, W.J. (1849) <em>Niger Flora, or, An enumeration of the plants of western tropical Africa</em>. H. Bailliere, London, 588 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.594</p>
<p>Ibiok, M., Ndukwu, B. & Umoh, N. (1991) Varieties of gourds (<em>Lagenaria siceraria</em>) in Akwa Ibom State. <em>The</em> <em>Nigerian</em> <em>Field</em> 56: 115–119.</p>
<p>Jeffrey, C. (1962) Notes on Cucurbitaceae, including a proposed new classification of the damily. <em>Kew Bulletin</em> 15 (3): 337–371. https://doi.org/10.2307/4115586</p>
<p>Keay, R.W.J. (1954) Cucurbitaceae. <em>In</em>: Hutchinson, J. & Dalziel, J.M. (Eds.)<em> Flora of West Tropical Africa. </em>Vol. 1, part 1, 2<sup>nd</sup> Ed. Crown Agents for Oversea Governments & Administrations, London, pp. 204–216.</p>
<p>Kuntze, O. (1891) <em>Revisio generum plantarum: vascularium omnium atque cellularium multarum secundum leges nomeclaturae internationales cum enumeratione plantarum exoticarum in itinere mundi collectarum</em>. Vol. 1. A. Felix, Leipzig, 374 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.124064</p>
<p>Léveillé, A.A.H. (1911) Plantae novae sandwicenses II. <em>Feddes Repertorium Specierim Novarum Regni Vegetabilis</em> 10: 149–157. https://doi.org/10.1002/fedr.19110101003</p>
<p>Léveillé, A.A.H. (1916) Catalogus plantarum provinciae Chinensis Kiang-Sou hucusque cognitarum. <em>Memorias de la Real Academia de Ciencias y Artes de Barcelona </em>12 (22): 5–24. [https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/245912#page/739/mode/1up]</p>
<p>Li, J.Q. (1993) A revision of the genus <em>Siratitia</em> Merr. and two new genera of Cucurbitaceae. <em>Acta Phytotaxonomica Sinica</em> 31 (1): 43–55. https://www.jse.ac.cn/EN/Y1993/V31/I1/45</p>
<p>Linnaeus, C. (1753) <em>Species Plantarum</em>. Vol. 2<em>. </em>Salvius, Stockholm, 639 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.669</p>
<p>Linnaeus, C. (1763) <em>Species Plantarum</em>. Vol. 2. 2<sup>nd</sup> Ed. Laurentii Salvii, Stockholm, 899 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.11179</p>
<p>Lu, A.M. & Zhang, Z.Y. (1984) The genus <em>Siraitia </em>Merr. in China. <em>Guihaia</em> 4 (1): 27–33.</p>
<p>Matsumura, J. & Nakai, T. (1916) <em>Catalogus seminum et sporarum in Horto Botanico Universitatis Imperialis Tokyoensis per annos 1915 et 1916 lectorum</em>. Imperialis, Tokyo, 33 pp.</p>
<p>Maynard, D. & Maynard, D. (2000) Cucumbers, melons, and watermelons. <em>In</em>: Kniple, K.F. & Orneles, K.C. (Eds.) <em>The Cambridge World history of food</em>. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 298–313. https://doi.org/10.1017/CHOL9780521402149.032</p>
<p>Meyer, E.H.F. (1843) <em>Zwei pflanzengeographische documente, nebst einer Einleitung</em> <em>(Besondere Beigabe zur Flora 1843 Band II). </em>Publisher and place of publication not identified, 230 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.87612</p>
<p>Miller, P. (1768) <em>Gardeners Dictionary.</em> 8<sup>th</sup> Ed. John & Francis Rivington, London, pages unnumbered. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.541</p>
<p>Molina, G.I. (1782) <em>Saggio sulla storia naturale del Chili</em>. S. Tommaso d’Aquino, Bologona, 367 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.62689</p>
<p>Morris, D.I. (2009) Cucurbitaceae. <em>Flora of Tasmania Online </em>65: 1–4. [https://flora.tmag.tas.gov.au/pdf/Cucurbitaceae_2019_1.pdf]</p>
<p>Okon, O.G., Abraham, N.A. & Akpan, G.U. (2014) Nutritional evaluation, medicinal value and antibacterial activity of leaves of <em>Cucurbita maxima </em>D. <em>International Journal of Research</em> 1 (8): 1346–1350.</p>
<p>Okon, O., Williams, A., Andrew, N., Atoyebi, B., Ezeh, P. & Udosen, I. (2015) An assessment of the phytochemicals and antibacterial activity of seed extract of <em>Citrullus lanatus </em>(Watermelon). <em>International Journal of Research & Review</em> 2 (4): 148–156.</p>
<p>Petermann, G.L. (1838) <em>Flora Lipsiensis excursoria, exhibens plantas phanerogamas circa Lipsiam tam sponte nascentes, quam in agris cultas, simul cum arboribus et fruticibus pomerii lipsiensis.</em> J.A. Barth, Leipzig, 707 pp.</p>
<p>Roberty, G.E. (1954) Notes sur la flore de l’Ouest-Africain. <em>Bulletin de l’Institut Française d’Afrique Noire, Sér. A, Sciences Naturelles</em> 16 (3): 774–795. [http://horizon.documentation.ird.fr/exl-doc/pleins_textes/pleins_textes_6/b_fdi_39-40/43298.pdf]</p>
<p>Roemer, M.J. (1846) Synopsis monographica e classe Peponigerarum Meisn. <em>Familiarum Naturalium Regni Vegetabilis Synopses Monographicae</em>, Fasc. 2. Landes-Indistrie-Comptoir, Weimar, I–X, 1–222 pp. [https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/33501588#page/173/mode/1up]</p>
<p>Schaefer, H. & Renner, S. (2011) Phylogenetic relationships in the order Cucurbitales and a new classification of the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae). <em>Taxon</em> 60: 122–138. https://doi.org/10.1002/tax.601011</p>
<p>Schrader, H.A. (1831) <em>Index Seminum Horti Academici Gottingensis</em>. Gottingen, 6 pp.</p>
<p>Seringe, N.C. (1825) <em>Mémoire sur les Cucurbitacées</em> 3 (1): 1–32. [https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/10398151#page/9/mode/1up]</p>
<p>Shukla, R.S. & Chandel, P.S. (1972) <em>A textbook of plant ecology including ethnobotany and soil science. </em>S. Chand & Company LTD, New Dehli, 562 pp.</p>
<p>Spach, P.M.E. (1838) <em>Historoire naturelle des végétaux. Phanerogames.</em> Vol. 6. Librairie encyclopédique de Roret, Paris, 588 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.44839</p>
<p>Standley, P.C. (1930) Flora of Yucatan. <em>Publications of the Field Museum of Natural History. Botanical Series</em> 3 (3): 157–492. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.2354</p>
<p>Thunberg, C.P. (1794) <em>Prodromus Plantarum Capensicum</em>. Vol. 1. J. Edman, Uppsala, 83 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.84</p>