Skip to main content
Log in

Fluted pumpkin,Telfairia occidentalis: West African vegetable crop

  • Published:
Economic Botany Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Fluted pumpkin, Telfairia occidentalis, is native to West Africa but occurs mostly in its cultivated form in various parts of southern Nigeria.It is widely cultivated for its palatable and nutritious leaves which are used mainly as vegetable. The seeds are also nutritious and rich in an oil which may be used for cooking and soap manufacture. Its taxonomy, morphology and potential uses are discussed in relation to its economic importance as a tropical crop.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

Literature Cited

  • Baker, H. C, and I. Baker. 1973. Amino acids in nectar and their evolutionary significance. Nature 241: 534–545.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hutchinson, J., and J. M. Dalziel. 1966. Flora of West Tropical Africa. 2nd ed. Crown Agents for Overseas Government and Administrations, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Irvine, F. R. 1969. West African Crops. 3rd ed. Oxford Univ. Press, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jeffrey, C. 1980. A review of the Cucurbitaceae. J. Linn. Soc, Bot. 81: 233–247.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, E. J., and T. J. Johnson. 1976. Economic plants in a rural Nigerian market. Econ. Bot. 30: 375–381.

    Google Scholar 

  • Keeler, K. H., and R. B. Kaul. 1979. Morphology and distribution of petiolar nectaries inIpomoea (Convolvulaceae). Amer. J. Bot. 66: 946–952.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Olorode, O. 1974. Chromosome numbers in Nigerian Compositae. J. Linn. Soc, Bot. 72: 212–222.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oomen, H. A. P. B., and G. J. H. Grubben. 1977. Tropical Leaf Vegetables in Human Nutrition. Koninklijk Instituut voor de Tropen, Amsterdam.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oyenuga, V. A. 1968. Nigeria’s Foods and Feeding-stuffs: Their Chemistry and Nutritive Value. Ibadan Univ. Press, Nigeria.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Okoli, B.E., Mgbeogu, C.M. Fluted pumpkin,Telfairia occidentalis: West African vegetable crop. Econ Bot 37, 145–149 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02858775

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02858775

Keywords

Navigation