Crescentia cujete L.

Bignoniaceae, Sally Bidgood, Bernard Verdcourt, Kaj Vollesen. Cobaeaceae, Bernard Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2006

Morphology General Habit

Tree to 10 m tall.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves tufted, simple, sessile, obovate-spathulate, 4–26 cm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences 1–2-flowered, borne on trunk or main branches.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx split into two lobes 1.8–2.6 × 1.3–2.4 cm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla yellow-green, speckled red or marked purple, campanulate, fleshy, 4–7.5 cm long with transverse fold across the tube.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit spherical to ovoid or ellipsoid, 15–30 cm long, (8–)13–20 cm diameter with thin hard shell.

Note

Native to Mexico and North Central America but natural range obscured by very extensive cultivation in tropical America. Cultivated in Kenya: Kwale District: Diani Beach, Kivulini, 25 Feb. 1992, Luke 3075 and Tanzania: Pangani District: Mwera, 15 July 1932, Geilinger 865; Zanzibar, Dunga, Feb. 1929, Greenway H 11/29.

Bernal, R., G. Galeano, A. Rodríguez, H. Sarmiento y M. Gutiérrez. 2017. Nombres Comunes de las Plantas de Colombia. http://www.biovirtual.unal.edu.co/nombrescomunes/

Vernacular

árbol de mate, calabazo, calabazo candongo, calabazo cimarrón, calabazo de palo, calabazo de pico, camasa, chícaro, chumbo, cubo, cucharito, cucharo, cuya, guan, mata de calabazo, mate, mate totumo, palo de calabazo, palo mate, pilche, puro, sacha, sachamate, sachapuro, sumbo, tapara, tapare, taparo, táparo, totuma, totumbo, totumillo, totumo, totumo calabazo, totumo candongo, totumo cimarrón, totumo cucharo, totumo de palo, totumo grande, totumo mate, totumo pequeño, totumo redondo, túmbilo, tutumo, tutumo redondo

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution

Nativa y cultivada en Colombia; Alt. 0 - 1370 m.; Amazonia, Andes, Llanura del Caribe, Orinoquia, Pacífico, Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Valle del Cauca, Valle del Magdalena.

Morphology General Habit

Arbusto, arbolito, árbol

Conservation

Preocupación Menor

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/144274257/149042622

Conservation

LC - least concern

George R. Proctor (2012). Flora of the Cayman Isands (Second Edition). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Vernacular

WILD CALABASH

Morphology General Habit

A tree up to 10 m tall (but often less), with stout branchlets; leaves oblanceolate or narrowly obovate, mostly 2–15 cm long, variable in length in the same fascicle or on the same branch

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx up to 2 cm long, deeply 2-lobed; corolla 4–6 cm long, greenish-cream, often purple-veined

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruits up to 25 cm in diameter (often less).

Distribution

Grand Cayman. Florida, West Indies and continental tropical America.

Ecology

In thickets, savannas, pastures and along roadsides.

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation

Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident

Distribution

Biogeografic region: Amazonia, Andean, Caribbean, Orinoquia, Pacific. Elevation range: 0–1370 m a.s.l. Cultivated in Colombia. Native to Colombia. Colombian departments: Amazonas, Antioquia, Atlántico, Bolívar, Boyacá, Casanare, Cesar, Chocó, Cundinamarca, Huila, La Guajira, Magdalena, Meta, Nariño, Norte de Santander, Putumayo, Quindío, Santander, Sucre, Tolima, Valle del Cauca.

Habit

Shrub, Small tree, Tree.

Conservation

IUCN Red List Assessment (2021): LC.

Ecology

Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: forest and woodland, savanna, shrubland, native grassland, wetlands (inland), artificial - terrestrial.

Vernacular

Allita, Caabaza, Calabash tree, Calabaza, Calabazo, Camasa, Camazo, Gourd, Güira, Higüero, Kalbas, Mate, Palo de calabaza, Palo totumas, Poro, Poto

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit

Small tree with flowers on the trunk or larger branches

Morphology Leaves

Leaves simple, clustered at ends of branches, sessile; blades obovate to oblanceolate, 3–26 x 1–7 cm, attenuate at the base, acute to obtuse at the apex, with scales on midrib

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx c. 2 cm long, glandular, with 2-fid tip

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla 3–4.5 cm in diam., dirty white with purplish venation

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruits to 30 cm long and 13–20 cm in diam., green

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 7–8 mm long.

Distribution

Cultivated at least in S2. Native of Mexico and central America, sometimes grown as a curiosity in tropical and subtropical regions.

Vernacular

Calabash tree (English).

Note

First record for Somalia.

Use

The fruits, called ‘calabashes’ (from the Spanish ‘calabazo’, meaning a gourd), have traditionally been used in rural areas throughout its range as containers for water and other liquids; the shell is so tough that water can even be boiled in it. Less well known is the fact that the wood of this tree is exceedingly tough and durable, suitable for making furniture and the handles of tools.

Use Animal Food

Used as animal food.

Use Environmental

Environmental uses.

Use Gene Sources

Used as gene sources.

Use Food

Used for food.

Use Invertebrate Food

Used as invertebrate food.

Use Materials

Used as material.

Use Medicines

Medical uses.

Use Poisons

Poisons.

Use Social

Social uses.