bottle gourd

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• White-flowered Gourd
• bottle gourd
• calabash
• calabash gourd
• white-flower gourd
• Flask Calabash
• Large African Calabash
• New Guinea bean
• Pipe Calabash
• South African Pipe Calabash
• Trumpet Calabash

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Lagenaria vulgaris
• Lagenaria leucantha var. gourda
• Lagenaria vulgaris f. gourda
• Lagenaria idolatrica
• Lagenaria vulgaris var. microcarpa
• Lagenaria siceraria var. clavata
• Lagenaria vittata
• Pepo lagenarius
• Cucumis mairei
• Cucumis lagenaria
• Lagenaria siceraria f. depressa
• Cucurbita vittata
• Lagenaria verrucosa
• Cucurbita siceraria
• Cucurbita pyriformis
• Lagenaria bicornuta
• Cucurbita idololatrica
• Lagenaria hispida
• Cucurbita lagenaria
• Cucumis bicirrha
• Lagenaria cochinchinensis
• Lagenaria vulgaris var. viscosa
• Trochomeria rehmannii
• Lagenaria siceraria var. laevisperma
• Lagenaria vulgaris var. elongata
• Lagenaria vulgaris var. pyriformis
• Lagenaria siceraria var. gourda
• Lagenaria leucantha var. makinoi
• Lagenaria leucantha var. microcarpa
• Lagenaria vulgaris var. cougourda
• Lagenaria siceraria var. depressa
• Lagenaria leucantha var. cougourda
• Lagenaria siceraria var. microcarpa
• Lagenaria siceraria var. cougourda
• Cucurbita lagenaria var. villosa
• Lagenaria vulgaris subsp. afrikana
• Lagenaria siceraria var. turbinata
• Lagenaria vulgaris subsp. asiatica
• Lagenaria leucantha var. turbinata
• Lagenaria vulgaris var. depressa
• Lagenaria leucantha var. depressa
• Lagenaria vulgaris var. turbinata
• Cucurbita lagenaria var. oblonga
• Lagenaria vulgaris f. clavata
• Cucurbita longa
• Lagenaria virginalis
• Adenopus abyssinicus var. somaliensis
• Lagenaria vulgaris var. clavata
• Lagenaria vulgaris var. gourda

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Cucurbitales. Finally, it resides in the family Cucurbitaceae under the genus Lagenaria.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad geographical distribution across several diverse regions of the European continent. In Northern Europe, its presence can be documented within the borders of Great Britain. Moving toward Middle Europe, the species is found growing in Germany. The plant also extends into Southeastern Europe, specifically inhabiting the territories of Albania and Romania. Finally, its range reaches into Eastern Europe, where it is located in East European Russia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Lagenaria siceraria is characterized by a broad adaptive capacity across diverse environments, ranging from sea level up to a maximum elevation of 1760 m AMSL. This species thrives in varied landscape types, including anthropogenic areas (Área Antrópica), the Cerrado biome (latu sensu), and Seasonal Semi-deciduous Forests (Floresta Estacional Semi-decidual). Its ability to inhabit both human-disturbed landscapes and natural woodland ecosystems allows it to persist across a wide altitudinal gradient, facilitating its distribution from lowlands to higher montane regions.

Elevational range max:

1760 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica, Cerrado (lato sensu), Floresta Estacional Semidecidual

Life history

The life history of Lagenaria siceraria is characterized by an annual lifecycle, meaning the plant completes its entire developmental process from germination to seed production within a single growing season. Functionally, it is classified as a therophyte, a life form that survives unfavorable environmental conditions by completing its life cycle rapidly and persisting primarily through resistant seeds. As a climbing vine, its physiological strategy aligns with the therophyte designation, focusing on rapid vegetative growth and reproductive output rather than maintaining perennial woody structures or underground storage organs.

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Lagenaria siceraria is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb, functioning as an independent organism without parasitic tendencies. As an obligatory climber, this plant takes the form of a vine, utilizing a prostrate shoot orientation to navigate its environment. It is a terrestrial species, lacking aquatic or epiphytic characteristics, and exhibits significant variability in stature; while its height can range from a minimum of 1 meter to a maximum of 5 meters, the mean plant height is recorded at 9 meters.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

vine

Climber :

obligatory

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

5 m

Plant height mean:

9 m

Plant height min:

1 m

Shoot orientation :

prostrate

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Lagenaria siceraria is characterized by its specific vegetative morphology and nutritional strategies. The plant's foliar development displays significant variation in size, with leaf lengths ranging from a minimum of 4 cm to a maximum of 35 cm, while the leaf width fluctuates between a minimum of 10 cm and a maximum of 35 cm. In terms of water storage and tissue structure, the species does not exhibit succulence, indicating a reliance on standard hydraulic mechanisms rather than specialized water-storing parenchyma. Furthermore, the plant lacks the physiological capacity for biological nitrogen fixation, meaning it does not host symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria and must instead rely on the uptake of available nitrogen directly from the soil substrate to support its metabolic processes.

Leaf length max:

35 cm

Leaf length min:

4 cm

Leaf width max:

35 cm

Leaf width min:

10 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Lagenaria siceraria is characterized by a biotic pollination syndrome, specifically mediated by insects, which visit its yellow flowers. These flowers, which range in width from 2 to 3 cm, typically follow a seasonal flowering period that begins in June and concludes in August. Following successful pollination, the plant develops fleshy fruits that can reach a maximum length of 30 cm. The seeds produced within these fruits are quite consistent in their physical dimensions, possessing a maximum seed volume of 140 mm³ (with a mean and minimum also recorded at 140 mm³) and a maximum length of 20 mm. The mass of the seeds varies, with a mean mass of approximately 0.14727 g, ranging from a minimum of 0.10635 g to a maximum of 0.1667 g. For dispersal, the plant utilizes a hydrochorous syndrome, allowing its seeds to be spread via water.

Dispersal syndrome :

hydrochorous

Flower colour :

yellow

Flower width max:

3 cm

Flower width min:

2 cm

Flowering time :

Jun

Flowering time :

Aug

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Fruit length max:

30 cm

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed length max:

20 mm

Seed mass max:

0.1667 g

Seed mass mean:

0.14727 g

Seed mass min:

0.10635 g

Seed volume max:

140 mm³

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Lagenaria siceraria has 5 reported plant parts identified across 17 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include fruit, seed, leaf, root, flower.

Fruit

1. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology
2. Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania)
3. Current topics in medicinal chemistry
4. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Seed

1. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology
2. Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania)
3. BMC complementary and alternative medicine

Leaf

1. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology
2. Current topics in medicinal chemistry

Root

1. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology
2. Current topics in medicinal chemistry

Flower

1. Current topics in medicinal chemistry

Chemicals

Lagenaria siceraria has 73 reported phytochemicals identified across 17 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, Sterols, FAT, Saponins, Terpenoids.

Flavonoids

1. Current topics in medicinal chemistry
2. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
3. Frontiers in nutrition
4. Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine
5. Pharmacognosy research

Sterols

1. Current topics in medicinal chemistry
2. Frontiers in nutrition
3. Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine
4. Pharmacognosy research

FAT

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Frontiers in nutrition

Saponins

1. Frontiers in nutrition
2. Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine
3. Pharmacognosy research

Terpenoids

1. Current topics in medicinal chemistry
2. Frontiers in nutrition
3. Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine

choline

1. Dr. Duke
2. Current topics in medicinal chemistry
3. Frontiers in nutrition

Ash

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Cucurbitacins

1. Dr. Duke
2. Current topics in medicinal chemistry

ascorbic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. Applied microbiology and biotechnology

beta-carotene

1. Dr. Duke
2. Applied microbiology and biotechnology

Activities

Lagenaria siceraria has 370 reported activities identified across 17 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Diuretic, Hepatoprotective, Analgesic, Antioxidant, Anthelmintic.

Diuretic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Applied microbiology and biotechnology
3. Current topics in medicinal chemistry
4. Folia medica
5. Frontiers in nutrition

Hepatoprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Applied microbiology and biotechnology
3. Current topics in medicinal chemistry
4. Folia medica
5. Frontiers in nutrition

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Current topics in medicinal chemistry
3. Frontiers in nutrition
4. Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Current topics in medicinal chemistry
3. Frontiers in nutrition
4. Journal of dietary supplements

Anthelmintic

1. Current topics in medicinal chemistry
2. Frontiers in nutrition
3. Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Applied microbiology and biotechnology
3. Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine

Cardioprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Folia medica
3. Frontiers in nutrition

Emetic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Ayu
3. Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine

Purgative

1. Ayu
2. Folia medica
3. Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine

Antianxiety

1. Dr. Duke
2. Current topics in medicinal chemistry

Conditions

Lagenaria siceraria has 23 reported investigations on conditions identified across 17 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include diuretic, hypertension, Alzheimer's disease, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, analgesic.

Diuretic

1. Applied microbiology and biotechnology
2. Current topics in medicinal chemistry
3. Folia medica

Hypertension

1. Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine
2. Phytochemical analysis : PCA

Alzheimer's disease

1. Toxicology reports

Obsessive-compulsive disorder

1. Current drug discovery technologies

Analgesic

1. Current topics in medicinal chemistry

Anemia

1. Heliyon

Anthelmintic

1. Current topics in medicinal chemistry

Antihyperlipidemic

1. Current topics in medicinal chemistry

Antioxidant

1. Current topics in medicinal chemistry

Colitis

1. Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine

Preparations

Lagenaria siceraria has 17 reported preparations identified across 17 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include 80% methanolic crude fruit extract, Chloroform fraction, Cucurbitaceae seeds, Ethyl acetate fraction, Hydroalcohol extract.

80% methanolic crude fruit extract

1. Heliyon

Chloroform fraction

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Cucurbitaceae seeds

1. BMC complementary and alternative medicine

Ethyl acetate fraction

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Hydroalcohol extract

1. Journal of dietary supplements

Aqueous

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Chloroform and n-butanolic fractions

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Dried

1. Journal of comparative pathology

Ethanolic extract

1. Chinese journal of natural medicines

Ethanolic extract of fruits

1. Chinese journal of natural medicines