Coccinia adoensis

Sterns annual, arising from subligneous perennial rootstock with tuberiferous roots, prostrate or scandent, sometimes purple-tinged, sparsely to densely shortly pubescent. Leaf-lamina 2·5–12·5 × 2·5–15 cm., very variable, narrowly to broadly ovate or pentagonal in outline, cordate, dark green, almost glabrous except on veins to shortly pubescent or ± scabrid-punctate above, paler, ± glaucous and almost glabrous to rather densely pubescent beneath, unlobed or shortly to very deeply palmately 3–5-lobed, the lobes ovate or triangular to elliptic, narrowly elliptic or oblanceolate, subentire to strongly sinuate-dentate, sometimes ± lobulate, acute to obtuse, rounded or sometimes retuse, apiculate, the central largest. Petioles 0·4–5 cm. long, very sparsely to densely rather finely pubescent with short ascending or spreading hairs. Tendrils simple. Probracts small, 1·5–4 mm. long, obovate-rotundate to spathulate. male flowers 4–20 in 0·5–9 cm. pedunculate racemes, usually co-axillary with a 5–70 mm. pedicellate solitary flower; bracts of racemose flowers small, 1–1·5 mm. long, glandular, often absent; pedicels 1–28 mm. long. Receptacle-tube 3·5–6·5 mm. long, obconic-campanulate, sparsely shortly hairy or subglabrous, lobes remote, 1·5–5·5 mm. long, dentiform, subulate or lanceolate. Corolla pale creamy yellow, salmon-pink or orange, veined with green, brown or purple, the lobes 1–3 × 0·5–1·5 cm., obovate, apiculate, united to above the middle. female flowers solitary; pedicels 2–20 mm. long; ovary 6–22 × 1–2·5 mm., fusiform, glabrous, receptacle-tube 1·5–3·5 mm. long, narrowly campanulate; lobes 1–4·5 mm. long, subulate to lanceolate; corolla as in male flowers, but rather narrower. Fruit 3–8·5 × 1–3 cm., ovoid-ellipsoid to ellipsoid-cylindrical, often shortly rostrate, smooth, bright red when mature although sometimes remaining greenish towards the base; fruit-stalk 0·5–2·2 cm. long. Seeds 4·5–6·5 × 3–4 × 1·5–2·5 mm., broadly ovate in outline, ± compressed, lenticular.