Coccinia abyssinica

Coccinia abyssinica is an Ethiopian species of Coccinia which was first described by Jean-Baptiste Lamarck. The tuber is under its Oromo name anchote a well-known local crop, but also the leaves are eaten. Perennial, dioecious climber. Shoot length up to 5 m, more or less densely covered with white hairs. Leaves are alternate with 1.5-14.0 cm long petiole, lamina 7.5–12.0 × 6.5–12.0 cm, often cordate to profoundly 3- or 5-lobate. If lobate, then the central lobe is dominating and has a sharp tip. Upper lamina glabrous with clear to whitish pustules, sometimes with white hairs. Lower lamina paler than upper lamina, with white hairs, that can appear wart-like when broken off. Tendrils simple. Probracts up to 3 mm long. Flowers of male plants solitary or in few-flowered racemes. Flowers in female plant solitary. Flowers in each sex usually solitary, sometimes in few-flowered racemes. Receptacle pale green, glabrous. Calyx teeth 2–4 mm long, lineal-subulate. Corolla ca. 1.4 cm long, yellow to slightly orange, lobes ca. 0.5 cm. Stamens in male flowers 3, connected to a central column. Anthers in male flowers sinuate, in a globose head. Fruits short elliptical, 5.5-6.0 cm long and 3.5–4.0 cm in diameter, glabrous, when unripe green, ripe orange-red, sometimes with remaining yellowish longitudinal mottling. Seeds 5-6 × 3 × 1.5 mm (L/W/H), slightly asymmetrically obovate, face flat. Widespread in the highlands of Ethiopia between 1300 and 2800 m.