Luffa aegyptiaca Mill., Cucurbitaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Luffa cylindrica (L.) M. Roemer

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: si gua

Chuukese: mororof

English: climbing okra, dish-cloth gourd, dishrag gourd, loofah, rag gourd, scrubber gourd, smooth loofah, smooth luffa, sponge cucumber, sponge gourd, sponge luffa, towel gourd, vegetable sponge, wild vegetable sponge

French: courge torchon, éponge végétale, gourde serviette, papengaye, pétole

Japanese: hetima

Maori (Cook Islands): pō‘ue, pō‘ue, pō‘ue, puru

Pohnpeian: rapkord, sehl-lap, selinahp, sellap

Samoan: meleni vao, meleni vao

Spanish: calabazo, esponga, esponja, estropajo, paste

Tahitian: aroro, atiuaea, huaroro, huerhaho

Tongan: fangu ‘a kuma, mafa‘i

Wallisian: mafa‘i

Habit:  vine

Description:  "Vigorous climbing herb with branched tendrils. Leaves to ca 25 cm long.  Lamina broad ovate in outline, scabrous, lobes mucronate, 5-7, the basal pair often very shallow and barely distinguishable from the mucronate marginal teeth, base forming a deep rounded sinus.  Flowers yellow, to ca 8 cm across, male racemose, female solitary.  Peduncle and furrowed ovary tomentose.  Fruit more or less oblong, 30 cm or more long when mature, shallowly furrowed, a network of fibres inside.  Seed broad ellipsoid, 13-15 mm long" (Sykes, 1970; pp. 78-79).

Habitat/ecology:  "Uncommon in coastal and lowland disturbed places" (Whistler, 1988; p. 16). In New Caledonia, "présente depuis longtemps, est peu courante aujourd'hui dans les jardins et la végétation secondaire. Une forme à petits fruits est spontanée aux îles isolées Hunter et Surprise" (MacKee, 1994; p. 46).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Old World, now widely cultivated and naturalized in many tropical areas (Smith, 1981; p. 682).  "The common form that is cultivated and often naturalized in Pacific archipelagoes, usually indicated as var. insularum, was probably an aboriginal introduction that may have been variously modified by selection, but it scarcely seems to merit nomenclatural separation from L. cylindrica [=aegyptiaca]." (Smith, 1981; p. 682)  "Probably an aboriginal introduction to Polynesia" (Whistler, 1988; p. 16).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Ofu Island		Whistler, W. A. (1980) (p. 159)
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Ofu Island		Whistler, W. A. (1990) Vouchers cited: Garber 1119, Yuncker 9560
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Ofu Island		Yuncker, T. G. (1945) (p. 66) Vouchers cited: Yuncker 9560 (BISH), Garber 1119 (BISH)
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Olosega Island		Whistler, W. A. (1980) (p. 159)
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Olosega Island		Whistler, W. A. (1990) Voucher cited: Whistler 3067
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island	native	Setchell, William Albert (1924) (p. 43)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Rota Island	introduced	Raulerson, L. (2006) (p. 49) Var. insularum (Gray) Cogn.
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Aitutaki Atoll		McCormack, Gerald (2011)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	‘Atiu Island		McCormack, Gerald (2011)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Mangaia Island		McCormack, Gerald (2011)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Ma‘uke Island		McCormack, Gerald (2011)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Miti‘aro Island		McCormack, Gerald (2011)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island		McCormack, Gerald (2011)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) San Cristóbal Group	San Cristóbal Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Dublon (Tonowas) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 178)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Tol Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 178)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Ulalu (Romonum) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 178)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Weno (Moen) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 178)
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 178)
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy (2010) (p. 15) Naturalized
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island	introduced invasive	Josekutty, P. C./Wakuk, E. E./Joseph, M. J. (2002) (p. 63)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 178)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		Glassman, S. F. (1952) (p. 60) Voucher cited: Glassman 2913 (US)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced invasive	Herrera, Katherine/Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy/Balick, Michael J. (2010) (p. 82) Vouchers cited: A. Dores 127 (Bish, NY, PTBG), R. Gallen 82 (NY, PTBG), M. Hunt 4 (NY, PTBG), M. Takamatsu 733 (BISH), R.L. Ward s.n. (BISH) Invasive
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2003) (voucher ID: PTBG 46204) Taxon name on voucher: Luffa cylindrica (L.) Roem. var. var. insularum (A. Gray) Cogn.
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2004) (voucher ID: PTBG 43579) Taxon name on voucher: Luffa aegyptiaca
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2001) (voucher ID: PTBG 43606) Taxon name on voucher: Luffa aegyptiaca
Fiji Fiji Islands	Taveuni Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1981) (p. 682) Voucher cited: Seemann 193 Sparingly naturalized.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1981) (p. 682) Voucher cited: DA 12394 Sparingly naturalized.
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island	introduced cultivated	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2008)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Cultivée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced cultivated	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 94) Vouchers cited: BRY 26107, BRY 26640
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced cultivated	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 94) Voucher cited: Setchelll & Parks 219
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Cultivée
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	native cultivated	Stone, Benjamin C. (1970) (p. 565) Var. insularum (Gray) Cogniaux; vouchers cited: Stone 4315 (GUAM), G.E.S. 409
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 178) Var. insularum (Gray) Cogn.
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Kili (Kõle) Atoll	introduced cultivated	Vander Velde, Nancy/Vander Velde, Brian (2006) (p. 7) "Rare; one vine observed growing Bikini Projects garden, climbing over lime tree, somewhat smothering it".
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Majuro (Mãjro) Atoll	introduced cultivated	Vander Velde, Nancy (2003) (p. 89)
Nauru Nauru Island	Nauru Island	introduced invasive	Thaman, R. R./Fosberg, F. R./Manner, H. I./Hassall, D. C. (1994) (p. 124) Vouchers cited: Fosberg 58587 (US), Fosberg 58731 (US), Thaman & Manner 75 (SUVA)
New Caledonia Récifs D'Entrecasteaux (D'Entrecasteaux Reefs)	Île Surprise	introduced invasive	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 46) Voucher cited: Cherrier in MacKee 43872
New Caledonia Hunter Island	Île Hunter	introduced invasive	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 46) Voucher cited: Veillon 3398
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 46) Vouchers cited: Védel s.n., Vieillard 963, Balansa 540, Balansa 3300, Däniker 1667, MacKee 26572, MacKee 34132
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île des Pins (Isle of Pines)	introduced	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 46) Voucher cited: Pancher 693
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced cultivated	Sykes, W. R. (1970) (p. 78) Voucher cited: CHR 170272
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive abo. intro.	Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 16)
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive abo. intro.	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara M./Newfield, Melanie/Bull, Cate (2004) (p. 50)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Palau Islands (main island group)	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 178)
Papua New Guinea Bismarck Archipelago	Bismarck Archipelago		Peekel, P. G. [translated by E. E. Henty] (1984) (pp. 543-545) Common everywhere.
Papua New Guinea Bougainville Islands	Bougainville Island		Foreman, D. B. (1971) (p. 38)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands		Hafliger, Toni J./Wolf, Matthias (1988) (p. 237)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands		Merrill, Elmer D. (1923) (p. 582) Commonly cultivated for its edible fruits, the fruits being larger than the very common wild form which occurs in thickets in the settled areas.
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Western Samoa Islands		Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 16)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands	native	Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. (1988) (p. 87)
Tonga Ha‘apai Group	Ha‘apai Islands		Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 18) Voucher cited: Soakai 670
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island		Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 18) Voucher cited: Moseley s.n.
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island		Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (p. 260) Cited: Moseley.
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Vava‘u Island		Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (p. 260) Voucher cited: Yuncker 16165
Wallis and Futuna Wallis and Futuna (Horne) Islands	Futuna Island	native	Morat, Ph./Veillon, J.-M. (1985) Morat & Veillon, 1985, cited in Meyer, 2007
Wallis and Futuna Wallis and Futuna (Horne) Islands	Wallis and Futuna Islands		Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 16)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	Australia (continental)		Hafliger, Toni J./Wolf, Matthias (1988) (p. 237)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2011) Commonly cultivated in China.
China China	Hong Kong	introduced cultivated	Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 106)
Honduras Honduras	Honduras (Republic of)		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 223)
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)		Hafliger, Toni J./Wolf, Matthias (1988) (p. 237)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)		Hafliger, Toni J./Wolf, Matthias (1988) (p. 237)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia (Indian Ocean offshore islands) Christmas Island Group	Christmas Island	introduced cultivated	Swarbrick, J. T. (1997) (p. 118) Luffa sp.
Maldives Maldive Islands	Malè Atoll		Fosberg, F. R. (1957) (p. 28)

Comments:  Cultivated and sparsely naturalized in Fiji (Smith, 1981; p. 682).

Control: 

Physical:  "Physical control can be effective if used repeatedly for an extended period"  (Englberger, 2009; p. 24).

Chemical:  "Triclopyr (Garlong 4) and glyphosate (Roundup) can be used"  (Englberger, 2009; p. 24).

Additional information:
Additional online information about Luffa aegyptiaca is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Information about Luffa aegyptiaca as a weed (worldwide references) may be available from the Global Compendium of Weeds (GCW).

Taxonomic information about Luffa aegyptiaca may be available from the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).

References:

Charles Darwin Foundation. 2008. Database inventory of introduced plant species in the rural and urban zones of Galapagos. Charles Darwin Foundation, Galapagos, Ecuador.

Charles Darwin Research Station. 2005. CDRS Herbarium records.

Englberger, Konrad. 2009. Invasive weeds of Pohnpei: A guide for identification and public awareness. Conservation Society of Pohnpei. 29 pp.

Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. 2011. Base de données botaniques Nadeaud de l'Herbier de la Polynésie Française (PAP). (online resource).

Foreman, D. B. 1971. A check list of the vascular plants of Bougainville, with descriptions of some common forest trees. Botany Bulletin No. 5. Division of Botany, Department of Forests. Lae, New Guinea. 194 pp.

Fosberg, F. R. 1957. The Maldive Islands, Indian Ocean. Atoll Research Bulletin No. 58. Pacific Science Board, National Academy of Sciences, Washington. 37 pp.

Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce. 1979. A geographical checklist of the Micronesian dicotyledonae. Micronesica 15:1-295.

Glassman, S. F. 1952. The flora of Ponape. Bishop Mus. Bull. 209: 1-152.

Hafliger, Toni J./Wolf, Matthias. 1988. Dicot weeds, vol. 1. CIBA-GEIGY Ltd., Basle, Switzerland. 335 pp.

Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. 1988. Flora of the Solomon Islands. Research Bulletin No. 7. Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Honiara. 203 pp.

Herrera, Katherine/Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy/Balick, Michael J. 2010. Checklist of the vascular plants of Pohnpei with local names and uses. Allertonia, in press. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Hawai‘i. 146 pp.

Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. 1979. A geographical atlas of world weeds. John Wiley & Sons, New York. 391 pp.

Josekutty, P. C./Wakuk, E. E./Joseph, M. J. 2002. Invasive/weedy angiosperms in Kosrae, Federated States of Micronesia. In: Invasive species and their management. Micronesica Suppl. 6:61-65.

Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy. 2010. Checklist of the plants of Kosrae. Unpublished checklist. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Hawai‘i. 26 pp.

Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. 2008. Flora of the Marquesas Islands. National Tropical Botanical Garden and the Smithsonian Institution. Online database.

MacKee, H. S. 1994. Catalogue des plantes introduites et cultivées en Nouvelle-Calédonie. Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, 164 p.

McCormack, Gerald. 2011. Cook Islands Biodiversity Database, Version 2007.2. Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga.

Merlin, M./Juvik, J. 1996. Irá me neeniier nón Chuuk: Plants and their Environments in Chuuk. Program on Environment, East-West Center, Honolulu, Hawai‘i, 121 pp. .

Merrill, Elmer D. 1923. An enumeration of Philippine flowering plants, vol. 3 [reprint]. Bureau of Printing, Manila. 628 pp.

Meyer, Jean-Yves. 2007. Rapport de mission sur l'Ile d'Uvea (Wallis & Futuna) du 6 au 17 Novembre 2007: Inventaire preliminaire de la flore vasculaire secondaire [unpublished report]. Délégation à la Recherche, Ministère de l'Education, l'Enseignement Supérieur et la Recherche, B.P. 20981 Papeete, Tahiti, Polynésie française. 39 pp.

Morat, Ph./Veillon, J.-M. 1985. Contribution à la connaissance de la végétation et de la flore de Wallis & Futuna. Bull. Mus. Natn. Hist. Nat., Paris, 4e sér., 7, section B. Adansonia 3 : 259-329.

National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.). 2003. Voucher specimen #PTBG46204(A. Dores 127).

Peekel, P. G. [translated by E. E. Henty]. 1984. Flora of the Bismarck Archipelago for naturalists. Office of Forests, Division of Botany, Lae, Papua New Guinea. 638 pp. ISBN 9980-66-000-7.

Raulerson, L. 2006. Checklist of Plants of the Mariana Islands. University of Guam Herbarium Contribution 37:1-69. .

Setchell, William Albert. 1924. American Samoa; part I. Vegetation of Tutuila Island. part II. Ethnobotany of the Samoans. part III. Vegetation of Rose Atoll. The Carnegie Institution of Washington. 275 pp. + illus.

Smith, Albert C. 1981. Flora Vitiensis nova: a new flora of Fiji. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Kauai, Hawaii. Volume 2. 810 pp.

Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara M./Newfield, Melanie/Bull, Cate. 2004. Report to the Government of Niue and the United Nations Development Programme: Invasive plant species on Niue following Cyclone Heta. UNDP NIU/98/G31 - Niue Enabling Activity. 80 pp.

Stone, Benjamin C. 1970. The flora of Guam. Micronesica 6:1-659.

Swarbrick, J. T. 1997. Environmental weeds and exotic plants on Christmas Island, Indian Ocean: a report to Parks Australia. 101 pp. plus appendix.

Sykes, W. R. 1970. Contributions to the flora of Niue. New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Bulletin 200, Wellington. 321 pp.

Thaman, R. R./Fosberg, F. R./Manner, H. I./Hassall, D. C. 1994. The flora of Nauru. Smithsonian Institution, Washington. Atoll Research Bulletin 392:1-223.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2011. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.

Vander Velde, Nancy. 2003. The vascular plants of Majuro Atoll, Republic of the Marshall Islands. Smithsonian Institution, Atoll Research Bulletin No. 503:1-141.

Vander Velde, Nancy/Vander Velde, Brian. 2006. Plants of Kili Island, Marshall Islands. Unpublished checklist. 12 pp.

Welsh, S. L. 1998. Flora Societensis: A summary revision of the flowering plants of the Society Islands. E.P.S. Inc., Orem, Utah. 420 pp.

Whistler, W. A. 1980. The vegetation of eastern Samoa. Allertonia 2:45-90.

Whistler, W. A. 1988. Checklist of the weed flora of western Polynesia. Technical Paper No. 194, South Pacific Commission, Noumea, New Caledonia. 69 pp.

Whistler, W. A. 1990. Ethnobotany of the Cook Islands: The plants, their Maori names, and their uses. Allertonia 5(4):347-424.

Whistler, W. A. 1990. The weeds of Manu‘a [unpublished checklist]. 18 pp.

Whistler, W. A. 1992. Flora of Tonga [unpublished checklist]. 107 pp.

Wu, Te-lin. 2001. Check List of Hong Kong Plants. Hong Kong Herbarium and the South China Institute of Botany. Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department Bulletin 1 (revised). 384 pp.

Yuncker, T. G. 1945. Plants of the Manua Islands. Bishop Mus. Bull. 184. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 73 pp.

Yuncker, T. G. 1959. Plants of Tonga. Bishop Museum Bull. 220. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 343 pp.

Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong. 2011. Flora of China (online resource).