systematics in detail

1. RIDGE GOURD
Presented by,
R. NIRMAL RAJ

2. INTRO.....
 Ridge gourd is a very important Indian vegetable crop and it can
be grown throughout the year.
 Ridge gourd in green stage and leaves with stem are used as
vegetable.
 Both ridge or ribbed gourd and smooth or sponge gourd belong
to genus Luffa.
 Genus name was derived from the product “Loofah” used as
bathing sponges, scrubber pads etc...
 Species contain a gelatinous compound called luffein.

3. Taxonomic position....
 Kingdom: Plantae
 Division: Magnoliophyta
 Class: Magnoliopsida
 Subclass: Dilleniidae
 Order: Violales
 Family: Cucurbitaceae
 Genus: Luffa
 Species: acutangula
Ridge Gourd (Luffa acutangula Roxb.) (2n = 26)

4. Origin....
 The Luffa has essentially old world origin in subtropical Asian
region including particularly India (Kalloo, 1993).

5. Distribution......
 Wild forms of L.acutangula are still found in North West India.
 L..cylindrica originated from L.acutangula, but the two species
differ so much in morphology and in time of flowering that
such an origin does not seem likely.
 Furthermore, L.cylindrica is more widespread than
L.actutangula and tends to go wild in many parts of the
tropics.
 It has evolved into many forms, and the best varieties for fiber
(Sponges) are now found in japan.
 Both species are introduced to all parts of the tropics.

6. Other related species......
 L.cylindrica
 L.echinata
 L.graveolens
 L.tuberosa
 L.umbellata
 L.aegyptica
 L.amara
 L.operculata
 L.saccata

7. L.cylindrica L.echinata

8. L.graveolens L.tuberosa

9. L.aegyptica L.amara

10. L.operculata L.saccata
L.cylindrica, echinata, graveolens, tuberosa, umbellata species are found
in India .

11. Botany...
 An annual, climbing herb.
 Stem 5- angled, scabrous along ribs.
 Tendrils robust, often 3- fid, puberulous.
 Leaves sub circular, membranous, often 5-7 lobed, both
surfaces puberulous, petioles 8-12 cm long, scabrous.
 Plants monoecious.

12. Lateral Shoots
Tendrils
Young Plant

13. Male flowers....
 17-20 flowered in racemes at the apex of peduncle, peduncles
10-15 cm long, pedicels 1-4 cm long, white-puberulous.
 Probracts 3-7 x 2-4 mm, fleshy, green, ovate with 3-10
glistening glands on the upper surface, calyx tube
campanulate, lobes lanceolate, 4-6 x 2-3 mm, apex acuminate,
slightly reflexed, densely white-pubescent, 1-nerved.
 Corolla pale yellow, lobes obcordate, both surfaces sub
glabrous, stamens 3, free, 1 unilocular, 2 bilocular, filaments
3-4 mm long,bearded at the base, anthers puberulous.

14. Male flower and bud...

15. Female flowers.....
 Peduncles 5-10 cm long, ovary elongate, 10-angular, apex
constricted, style short, stigmas 3, expanded, 2-lipped.

16. Hand pollination....

17. Fruits....
 Fruits clavate-oblong, acutely 10-angled, apex obtuse or
slightly acute.

18. Seeds...
 Seeds ovate, verrucose, 10-12 x 7-8 mm, 2 mm thick, black.
Seeds are protected by the
sponge-like network of fibers.
Seeds stored in cow dung.
Commercial seeds