TELFAIRIA OCCIDENTALIS

The giant fruit by John Mood, Top Propicals.com. Joseph Dalton Hooker, 1871 CUCURBITACEAE Benin, Cabinda, Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Guinea, Gulf of Guinea Islands, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Zaïre Mix Medium Medium 30 Centimetres? 15 Meters White / Dark Purple Seeds Fluted Pumpkin, Telfairia, Oysternut, Ugu "Telfairia occidentale"

This d ioecious member of the Cucurbitaceae was described by Joseph Dalton Hooker in 1871. It is found in Benin, Cabinda, Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Guinea, Gulf of Guinea Islands, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Uganda and Zaïre. It need a well drained soil, some water and some sun. The vines will climb up to15 meters. The flowers are white with a dark purple centre, the fruits are from three up to thirteen kilos with five centimetre seeds.

The genera is named after Mr. and Mrs. Telfair, who grow the plant on their farm Bois Chery, on Mauritius. Mrs. draw the plant for Hooker in 1826. The species name means 'western'; of the western world.