Fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis)

Telfairia occidentalis is a tropical vine grown in West Africa as a leaf vegetable and for its edible seeds. Common names for the plant include Fluted gourd, Fluted pumpkin, andUgu.

The plant is a drought-tolerant, dioecious perennial that is usually grown trellised.

The young shoots and leaves of the female plant are the main ingredients of a Nigerian soup,edikang ikong.

The large (up to 5 cm), dark-red seed is rich in fat and protein, and can be eaten whole, ground into powder for another kind of soup, or made into a fermented porridge.

The fruit of the plant is large, weighing up to 13 kg, but inedible.

One comment on “Fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis)

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