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Lagenaria siceraria

(Molina) Standl. (1930)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-Rosids Order: Cucurbitales Family: Cucurbitaceae Genus: Lagenaria

bottle gourd, ipu, long squash, white flowered gourd, white-flowered squash

Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form:

Stems:

Roots:

Leaves:

Flowers:

Fruit:

Ploidy:

Habitat:

Elevation Range:

Historical Distribution

Synonyms (56)

Adenopus abyssinicus var. somaliensis Chiov. (1916)
Cucumis bicirrha J.R.Forst. ex Guill. (1837)
Cucumis lagenaria (L.) Dumort. (1827)
Cucumis mairei H.Lév. (1916)
Cucurbita ciceraria Molina (1782)
Cucurbita idololatrica Willd. (1805)
Cucurbita lagenaria L. (1753)
Cucurbita lagenaria var. oblonga Blanco (1837)
Cucurbita lagenaria var. villosa Blanco (1837)
Cucurbita leucantha Duchesne (1786)
Cucurbita longa W.M.Fletcher (1885)
Cucurbita pyriformis M.Roem. (1846)
Cucurbita siceraria Molina (1782)
Cucurbita vittata Blume (1826)
Lagenaria bicornuta Chakrav. (1968)
Lagenaria cochinchinensis M.Roem. (1846)
Lagenaria hispida Ser. (1828)
Lagenaria idolatrica (Willd.) Ser. (1828)
Lagenaria lagenaria (L.) Cockerell (1892)
Lagenaria leucantha Rusby (1896)
Lagenaria leucantha var. cougourda (Ser.) Nakai (1942)
Lagenaria leucantha var. depressa (Ser.) Makino (1940)
Lagenaria leucantha var. gourda (Ser.) Makino ex Nakai (1942)
Lagenaria leucantha var. makinoi Nakai (1942)
Lagenaria leucantha var. microcarpa (Tod.) Nakai (1942)
Lagenaria leucantha var. turbinata (Ser.) Nakai (1942)
Lagenaria microcarpa Naudin (1855)
Lagenaria siceraria f. depressa (Ser.) M.Hiroe (1971)
Lagenaria siceraria f. microcarpa (Naudin) M.Hiroe (1971)
Lagenaria siceraria subsp. asiatica (Kobjakova) Heiser (1973)
Lagenaria siceraria var. clavata (Ser.) H.Hara (1948)
Lagenaria siceraria var. cougourda (Ser.) H.Hara (1948)
Lagenaria siceraria var. depressa (Ser.) H.Hara (1948)
Lagenaria siceraria var. gourda (Ser.) H.Hara (1948)
Lagenaria siceraria var. laevisperma Millán (1946)
Lagenaria siceraria var. microcarpa (Tod.) H.Hara (1948)
Lagenaria siceraria var. turbinata (Ser.) H.Hara (1948)
Lagenaria verrucosa Anon. (1890)
Lagenaria virginalis Mast. (1892)
Lagenaria vittata Ser. (1828)
Lagenaria vulgaris Ser. (1825)
Lagenaria vulgaris f. clavata (Ser.) Juel, Junell & Örtendahl (1928)
Lagenaria vulgaris f. gourda (Ser.) Juel, Junell & Örtendahl (1928)
Lagenaria vulgaris subsp. afrikana Kobjakova (1930)
Lagenaria vulgaris subsp. asiatica Kobjakova (1930)
Lagenaria vulgaris var. clavata Ser. (1825)
Lagenaria vulgaris var. cougourda Ser. (1828)
Lagenaria vulgaris var. depressa Ser. (1828)
Lagenaria vulgaris var. elongata Tod. (1858)
Lagenaria vulgaris var. gourda Ser. (1825)
Lagenaria vulgaris var. microcarpa Tod. (1858)
Lagenaria vulgaris var. pyriformis Kobjakova (1930)
Lagenaria vulgaris var. turbinata Ser. (1828)
Lagenaria vulgaris var. viscosa Eggers (1879)
Pepo lagenarius Moench (1794)
Trochomeria rehmannii Cogn. (1924)

Uses and Culture

USES

  • For treatment of hehena a moe‘ole a ka po, young leaves are ingested in conjunction with dried niu (coconut, Cocos nucifera) and ‘uala (sweet potato, Ipomoea batatas). For illnesses such as papaku, hoaka, and wai‘opua the flesh of the ipu is combined with noni fruit (Morinda citrifolia) and water and delivered as an enema. For pu‘ao pelu and maybe ha‘ule, the treatment combines ipu fruit flesh with leaf buds, leaves, and stems of the kukaepuaa (Digitaria setigera) (Chun 1994:117–120).

  • The hardened fruit is made into a variety of containers, for water, food, dyes, etc. (Krauss 1993:19–22). Also used for musical instruments, such as the bases of ‘uli‘uli (hula rattles), knee drums, ‘ulili, pa ipu or ipu heke (a percussion instrument made by joining two ipu, one atop the other) (Abbott 1992:120; Krauss 1993:881–83). The ipu was also used to chase away sharks (Lucas 1982:39) fisherman carried their lines and hooks in gourds and taken on sea voyages so if the canoe overturned the gourds would float and could be retrieved (Kamehameha Schools 1994:15). Ritual use includes headgear depicted by the Cook expedition (e.g., see Weber's illustration in Abbott 1992:78). They served as masks worn by priests and not by warriors, as the ipu is fairly fragile.

CULTURE

  • [I] ‘A‘ohe ipu ‘opio e ‘ole ka mimino i ka la. No immature gourd can withstand withering in the sun [without care]. No child can get along without adult supervision. [II] Ua malo‘o ka pua hue. The gourd blossom has withered. Said of a person withered with age.

  • Kinolau of Lono

PROPAGATION/CULTIVATION

  • Handy et al. (1972:215–217) suggest that the beginning of the rainy season is the proper time to plant ipu. This allows for the hot, dry summer months to bring them to maturity (in about 6 months). While the ipu is growing the vine can be propped up with a small frame of sticks (ko‘o la‘au or haka) to keep the ipu up off the ground. In addition, stones that might mar the base of the ipu are removed and grass, leaves, or a board can be placed below.

Natural History

Statewide Status

Potentially naturalizing

Island Status

Kaua'i Potentially naturalizing
O'ahu Only found in cultivation
Hawai'i Only found in cultivation

Dispersal Agents

Water/Ocean

Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: Publ. Field Columb. Mus., Bot. Ser. 3: 435 (1930)

Other References

Laau Hawaii (Abbott) p.16

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Lagenaria siceraria Honolulu, Bishop Museum courtyard climbing wire fence Preserved_Specimen Fruit weighed 12 pounds, May 15 Neal, M.C. Oahu BISH 1944-04-06
2 Lagenaria siceraria Roadside near Ewa Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. 1921 Oahu BISH 1914-07-01
3 Lagenaria siceraria Amy B.H. Greenwell Gardens Preserved_Specimen Meilleur, B. 1551 Hawaii BISH 1991-12-21
4 Lagenaria siceraria Amy B.H. Greenwell Gardens Preserved_Specimen Meilleur, B. 1551 Hawaii BISH 1991-12-21
5 Lagenaria siceraria Kawaihae Preserved_Specimen Hosaka, E.Y. Hawaii BISH 1938-06-01
6 Lagenaria siceraria Honolulu, Bishop Museum courtyard full sun Preserved_Specimen prostrate vine Lau, J. 2577 Oahu BISH 1986-06-26
7 Lagenaria siceraria Roadside near Ewa Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. 1921 Oahu BISH 1914-07-01
8 Lagenaria siceraria Waipahu Cultural Gardens, 94-695 Waipahu St full sun Preserved_Specimen vine covering a structure. Foetid smelling. Corollas of staminate flowers white, turning brownish with age. Lau, J. Oahu BISH 1986-03-10
9 Lagenaria siceraria Near Bishop Museum, on fence of tennis court near top, under monkey pod tree on fence of tennis court near top, under monkey pod tree Preserved_Specimen leaves and vine seem to be alive only near top of fence; fr. 4 5/8 x 3 3/8 in Kipi, N. Oahu BISH 1941-01-21
10 Lagenaria siceraria Koloa, Salt Pond Beach Park, just SW of Hanapepe, between road and salt pond low, shrubby secondary vegetation of Batis maritima and Pluchea indica Preserved_Specimen Herbaceous vine with somewhat fetid odor. Corolla white, beginning to close (9 am), not fragrant Lorence, D.H. 6463 Kauai BISH 1990-05-14
11 Lagenaria siceraria Volcano Degener garden Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 35907 Hawaii BISH 1983-12-01
12 Lagenaria siceraria by Bishop Museum, at tennis court Preserved_Specimen Vine; fruit at top of high fence under monkeypod. Fruit 9 5/8 in. x 3 3/8 in. Kalili, E. Oahu BISH 1941-01-21
13 Lagenaria siceraria Honolulu, bought at vegetable market on Nuuanu Avenue Preserved_Specimen Fr. weighing 4 lbs., 2+ ft. by 5 in., shaped like a long bottle with a short, wide neck; light-green; pulp white, opaque, tastes like insipid cucumber; seeds tan, hard,. When scratched, the skin exudes a brown, squash-flavored juice. Neal, M.C. Oahu BISH 1942-07-28
14 Lagenaria siceraria Amy B.H. Greenwell Gardens Preserved_Specimen Meilleur, B. 1551 Hawaii BISH 1991-12-21
15 Lagenaria siceraria Amy B.H. Greenwell Gardens Preserved_Specimen Meilleur, B. 1551 Hawaii BISH 1991-12-21
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