Coccinia grandis (scarlet-fruited ivy gourd)
Index
- Pictures
- Identity
- Summary of Invasiveness
- Taxonomic Tree
- Description
- Plant Type
- Distribution
- Distribution Table
- History of Introduction and Spread
- Habitat
- Habitat List
- Host Plants and Other Plants Affected
- Climate
- Natural enemies
- Means of Movement and Dispersal
- Pathway Causes
- Impact Summary
- Economic Impact
- Environmental Impact
- Social Impact
- Risk and Impact Factors
- Uses
- Uses List
- Prevention and Control
- References
- Distribution Maps
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Top of pagePreferred Scientific Name
- Coccinia grandis (L.) Voigt
Preferred Common Name
- scarlet-fruited ivy gourd
Other Scientific Names
- Bryonia acerifolia D.Dietr.
- Bryonia alceifolia Willd.
- Bryonia barbata Buch.-Ham. ex Cogn.
- Bryonia grandis L.
- Bryonia sinuosa Wall.
- Cephalandra grandis Kurz
- Cephalandra indica (Wight & Arn.) Naudin
- Cephalandra moghadd (Asch.) Broun & Massey
- Cephalandra schimperi Naudin
- Coccinia cordifolia Cogn.
- Coccinia grandis var. wightiana (M.Roem.) Greb.
- Coccinia helenae Buscal. & Muschl.
- Coccinia indica Wight & Arn.
- Coccinia loureiriana M.Roem.
- Coccinia moghadd (J.F.Gmel.) Asch.
- Coccinia moimoi M.Roem.
- Coccinia palmatisecta Kotschy
- Coccinia schimperi Naudin
- Coccinia wightiana M.Roem.
- Cucumis pavel Kostel.
- Cucurbita dioica Roxb. ex Wight & Arn.
- Momordica bicolor Blume
International Common Names
- English: ivy gourd; kovai fruit; little gourd; scarlet gourd; tindora
- Spanish: pepino cimarrón
- Chinese: hong gua
Local Common Names
- Bangladesh: telakucha
- Germany: Scharlachranke; Tindola
- India: ban-kundri (Oriya); bimbika (Sanskrit); donda kaya (Telugu); kova (Malayalam); koval (Malayalam); kundree; kundru (Hindi); kunduru (Hindi); tindori; tondikay (Kannada); tondli (Marathi)
- Malaysia/Peninsular Malaysia: pepasan
- Marshall Islands: kiuri awai
- Micronesia, Federated states of: aipikohrd (Pohnpei)
- Pakistan: kanduri (Urdu); kundur (Urdu)
- Sweden: scharlakansgurka
- Tonga: kiukamapa ae initia
EPPO code
- COCGR (Coccinia grandis)
Summary of Invasiveness
Top of pageThe perennial vine C. grandis is originally native to East Africa and has been introduced to Australia, the Caribbean, southern USA and the Pacific region. It grows aggressivelyand can smother and kill native vegetation, including mature trees. It is particularly invasive in Saipan and Guam (Englberger, 2009).
Taxonomic Tree
Top of page- Domain: Eukaryota
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Phylum: Spermatophyta
- Subphylum: Angiospermae
- Class: Dicotyledonae
- Order: Violales
- Family: Cucurbitaceae
- Genus: Coccinia
- Species: Coccinia grandis
Description
Top of pageAdapted from Englberger (2009) and Muniappan et al. (2009):
C. grandis is a dioecious, perennial, herbaceous vine that can grow between 9 and 28 m long. It has glabrous stems, an extensive tuberous root system and axillary tendrils.
The alternate, simple leaves have a broadly ovate, 5-lobed, 5-9 by 4-9 cm. The flowers are white, star-shaped with 5 petals. The fruit is a smooth, bright red, ovoid to ellipsoid berry, 5-7.1 cm long.
Distribution
Top of pageC. grandis is originally native to north-central East Africa, but also grows wild in the Indo-Malayan region. It has been introduced to Australia, the Pacific region, the Caribbean and southern United States (Muniappan et al., 2009).
Distribution Table
Top of pageThe distribution in this summary table is based on all the information available. When several references are cited, they may give conflicting information on the status. Further details may be available for individual references in the Distribution Table Details section which can be selected by going to Generate Report.
Last updated: 08 Jul 2022Continent/Country/Region | Distribution | Last Reported | Origin | First Reported | Invasive | Reference | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Africa |
|||||||
Benin | Present | Native | |||||
Cameroon | Present | Native | |||||
Central African Republic | Present | Native | |||||
Chad | Present | Native | |||||
Congo, Democratic Republic of the | Present | Native | |||||
Djibouti | Present | Native | |||||
Egypt | Present | Native | |||||
Eritrea | Present | Native | |||||
Ethiopia | Present | Native | |||||
Kenya | Present | Native | |||||
Mali | Present | Native | |||||
Mauritania | Present | Native | |||||
Mauritius | Present | Introduced | |||||
Mozambique | Present | Introduced | |||||
Niger | Present | Native | |||||
Réunion | Present | Introduced | Naturalized | ||||
Senegal | Present | Native | |||||
Somalia | Present | Native | |||||
South Sudan | Present | Native | |||||
Sudan | Present | Native | |||||
Tanzania | Present | Native | |||||
Uganda | Present | Native | |||||
Asia |
|||||||
Bangladesh | Present | Native | |||||
Cambodia | Present | Native | |||||
China | Present | Native | Thickets on mountain slopes and in forests; 100-1100 m | ||||
-Guangdong | Present | Native | |||||
-Guangxi | Present | Native | |||||
-Yunnan | Present | Native | |||||
Hong Kong | Present | Native | |||||
India | Present | Native | |||||
-Andaman and Nicobar Islands | Present | Native | |||||
-Andhra Pradesh | Present | Native | |||||
-Assam | Present | Native | |||||
-Bihar | Present | Native | |||||
-Chhattisgarh | Present | Native | |||||
-Goa | Present | Native | |||||
-Gujarat | Present | Native | |||||
-Himachal Pradesh | Present | Native | |||||
-Jharkhand | Present | Native | |||||
-Karnataka | Present | ||||||
-Kerala | Present | Native | |||||
-Lakshadweep | Present | Native | |||||
-Madhya Pradesh | Present | Native | |||||
-Maharashtra | Present | Native | |||||
-Manipur | Present | Native | |||||
-Odisha | Present | Native | |||||
-Rajasthan | Present | Native | |||||
-Tamil Nadu | Present | Native | |||||
-Tripura | Present | Native | |||||
-Uttar Pradesh | Present | Native | |||||
-Uttarakhand | Present | Native | |||||
-West Bengal | Present | Native | |||||
Indonesia | Present | Native | |||||
-Lesser Sunda Islands | Present | Native | |||||
-Maluku Islands | Present | Native | |||||
Japan | Present | Native | |||||
Laos | Present | Native | |||||
Malaysia | Present | Native | |||||
-Peninsular Malaysia | Present | Native | |||||
-Sabah | Present | Native | |||||
Maldives | Present | Introduced | |||||
Myanmar | Present | Native | |||||
Nepal | Present | Native | |||||
Pakistan | Present | Native | |||||
Philippines | Present | Native | |||||
Singapore | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
Sri Lanka | Present | Native | |||||
Taiwan | Present | Introduced | 1994 | ||||
Thailand | Present | Native | |||||
Vietnam | Present | Native | |||||
Yemen | Present | Native | |||||
North America |
|||||||
Barbados | Present | Introduced | |||||
Cuba | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
Grenada | Present | Introduced | |||||
Nicaragua | Present, Cultivated | Introduced | |||||
Puerto Rico | Present | Introduced | 1925 | Invasive | |||
Saint Lucia | Present | ||||||
Trinidad and Tobago | Present | Introduced | |||||
U.S. Virgin Islands | Present | Introduced | St. Croix, St. Thomas | ||||
United States | Present | Introduced | Invasive | Invasive and cultivated on Sand Island, Midway Atoll | |||
-Florida | Present | Introduced | |||||
-Hawaii | Present | Introduced | Invasive | Big Island, Lana, Maui and Oahu Islands | |||
-Missouri | Present | Introduced | |||||
-Texas | Present | Introduced | |||||
Oceania |
|||||||
Australia | Present | Introduced | 1990 | ||||
-Northern Territory | Present | Native | |||||
-Queensland | Present | Introduced | Invasive | Cultivated | |||
-Western Australia | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
Federated States of Micronesia | Present | ||||||
-Pohnpei | Present | Introduced | Invasive | Cultivated | |||
Fiji | Present | Introduced | Invasive | Viti Levu Island | |||
Guam | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
Marshall Islands | Present | Introduced | Cultivated on Majuro Atoll | ||||
Northern Mariana Islands | Present | Introduced | Invasive | Saipan | |||
Papua New Guinea | Present | Native | |||||
Samoa | Present | Introduced | Cultivated on Upolu Island | ||||
Solomon Islands | Present | Introduced | |||||
Timor-Leste | Present | Native | |||||
Tonga | Present | Introduced | Invasive | Cultivated on Eua and Tongatapu Islands | |||
United States Minor Outlying Islands | |||||||
-Wake Island | Present | ||||||
Vanuatu | Present | Introduced | |||||
South America |
|||||||
Colombia | Present | Introduced | |||||
French Guiana | Present | Introduced | Cultivated, occasionally escaping | ||||
Guyana | Present | Introduced | Cultivated, occasionally escaping | ||||
Suriname | Present | Introduced |
History of Introduction and Spread
Top of pageC. grandis has been introduced to Asia, Australia, the Pacific region, the Caribbean and southern United States, primarily as a food crop (Muniappan et al., 2009).
Habitat
Top of pageC. grandis grows well in warm, humid, tropical regions. In Fiji it occurs in cane fields, degraded land and road sides. In Hawaii it is found at elevations of 0–245 m, whereas in China it can grow at elevations of up to 1100 m (Muniappan et al., 2009; PIER, 2013).
Host Plants and Other Plants Affected
Top of pagePlant name | Family | Context | References |
---|---|---|---|
Oryza sativa (rice) | Poaceae | Unknown |
Climate
Top of pageClimate | Status | Description | Remark |
---|---|---|---|
Af - Tropical rainforest climate | Preferred | > 60mm precipitation per month |
Natural enemies
Top of pageNatural enemy | Type | Life stages | Specificity | References | Biological control in | Biological control on |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Acythopeus burkhartorum | Herbivore | Adults | to species | Muniappan et al. (2009) | Hawaii | |
Acythopeus cocciniae | Herbivore | Adults; Arthropods|Larvae | to species | Muniappan et al. (2009) | Hawaii | |
Melittia oedipus | Herbivore | Arthropods|Larvae | to species | Muniappan et al. (2009) | Hawaii |
Means of Movement and Dispersal
Top of pageAccidental Introduction
C. grandis can be spread by its seeds, which can be carried by birds, rodents and possibly pigs. It can also be spread by its tuberous roots and soil movement (Englberger, 2009). Stems of C. grandis readily strike roots at nodes when they come into contact with soil (Muniappan et al., 2009).
Intentional Introduction
The plant is used in medicine and as food and so is often deliberately introduced by humans (Englberger, 2009). This has accounted for much of the long distance dispersal of C. grandis.
Pathway Causes
Top of pageCause | Notes | Long Distance | Local | References |
---|---|---|---|---|
Food | Yes | Muniappan et al. (2009) | ||
Hitchhiker | Seeds can be spread by birds, rodents and possibly pigs. | Yes | Englberger (2009) |
Impact Summary
Top of pageCategory | Impact |
---|---|
Biodiversity (generally) | Negative |
Cultural/amenity | Negative |
Economic/livelihood | Negative |
Human health | Positive |
Native flora | Negative |
Economic Impact
Top of pageAdapted from Muniappan et al. (2009):
As well as covering agricultural areas, C. grandis hosts a number of insect species that are known to attack several commercially important Cucurbitaceae species. These insects include: Diaphania indica (Saunders) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), Aulacophora spp. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett) (Diptera: Tephritidae), Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemiptera: Aphididae), Liriomyza spp. (Diptera: Agromyzidae), Leptoglossus australis (Fabricius) (Hemiptera: Coreidae) and Bemisia spp. (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae).
Environmental Impact
Top of pageC. grandis grows aggressively can smother and kill native vegetation, including mature trees. In Hawaii, where it is naturalized, it quickly spreads through disturbed sites, smothering both trees and understory vegetation (Muniappan et al., 2009).
Social Impact
Top of pageC. grandis can cover ‘fences, power poles, and other human-made structures in residential neighbourhoods and agricultural areas’ (Muniappan et al., 2009).
C. grandis is used in traditional Bengali medicine to treat diabetes (Ocvirk et al., 2013).
Risk and Impact Factors
Top of page- Proved invasive outside its native range
- Has a broad native range
- Pioneering in disturbed areas
- Fast growing
Uses
Top of pageC. grandis is used in cooking and medicine. The immature fruit and shoot tips are used in Asian cooking (Muniappan et al., 2009), and the fruit is eaten in India and Ethiopia (Addis, 2013; Rani et al., 2013). C. grandis is commonly used as a wild vegetable in rural areas of Kannauj districts in Uttar Pradesh, India (Kumar, 2013). The plant is high in protein (Addis, 2013).
C. grandis is reported to have a wide range of medicinal properties. Pekamwar et al. (2013) reported C. grandis to have ‘analgesic, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiulcer, antidiabetic, antioxidant, hypoglycemic, hepatoprotective, antimalarial, antidyslipidemic, anticancer, antitussive [and] mutagenic’ properties. Very low concentrations of crude extract of C. grandis were shown to have an inhibitory effect on the cervical cancer cell line HeLa (Varalakshmi, 2012).
Additionally, C. grandis fruit mucilage was shown to reduce water turbidity by 77.67% in a study by Gaurand and Punita (2012).
Uses List
Top of pageEnvironmental
- Landscape improvement
Human food and beverage
- Food
- Fruits
- Vegetable
Medicinal, pharmaceutical
- Source of medicine/pharmaceutical
- Traditional/folklore
Prevention and Control
Top of pageDue to the variable regulations around (de)registration of pesticides, your national list of registered pesticides or relevant authority should be consulted to determine which products are legally allowed for use in your country when considering chemical control. Pesticides should always be used in a lawful manner, consistent with the product's label.
Mechanical Control
Pulling plants and harvesting the underground tubers can be effective if done repeatedly for an extended period (Englberger, 2009). Cutting and slashing is less likely to be effective as C. grandis can regrow from any leftover stems and stubble; proper disposal of plant parts following mechanical removal is therefore essential (Muniappan et al., 2009). Additionally, C. grandis’ habit of growing over other plants makes it difficult to cut it without also damaging the plants it has overgrown.
Chemical Control
Triclopyr can be used as a foliar spray (Englberger, 2009), and in Hawaii basal bark applications of 2,4-D or triclopyr have been recommended (Muniappan et al., 2009). However, the overgrowing habit of the vines means that chemical sprays are also likely to affect non-target plants, and finding basal stems in dense stands of C. grandis is difficult (Muniappan et al., 2009).
Biological Control
Three natural enemies of C. grandis have been identified as suitable biological control agents: the stem-boring moth Melittia oedipus Oberthur (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae); the leaf-mining weevil Acythopeus cocciniae O’Brien and Pakaluk (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and the weevil Acythopeus burkhartorum O’Brien and Pakaluk (Muniappan et al., 2009).
M. oeidipus and A. cocciniae have significantly impacted the population of C. grandis in Hawaii, whereas A. burkhartorum has had very little or no effect. The effectiveness of A. cocciniae in Guam and Saipan was probably limited by parasitism. For more information, see Muniappan et al. (2009).
In Guam, C. grandis was controlled with A. burkhartorum and M. oedipus (Reddy et al., 2013).
References
Top of pageEnglberger K, 2009. Invasive weeds of Pohnpei: A guide for identification and public awareness. Conservation Society of Pohnpei, 29 pp.
Graveson RS, 2012. Survey of invasive alien plant species on Gros Piton, Saint Lucia. Project No. GFL / 2328- 2713-4A86, GF-1030-09-03. Project No. GFL / 2328- 2713-4A86, GF-1030-09-03, GFL / 2328- 2713-4A86, GF-1030-09-03. Catsries, Saint Lucia: Department of Forestry.
Krauss U; Seier M; Stewart J, 2008. Mitigating the Threats of Invasive Alien Species in the Insular Caribbean. Report on Project Development Grant (PPG) Stakeholder Meeting, GFL-2328-2740-4995. Piarco, Trinidad and Tobago: GEF, UNEP, CABI Caribbean and Latin America, 43 pp.
Muniappan R; Reddy GVP; Raman A, 2009. Coccinia grandis (L.) Voigt (Cucurbitaceae). In: Biological Control of Tropical Weeds using Arthropods [ed. by Muniappan R, Reddy GVP Raman A]. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 175-18.
PIER, 2013. Pacific Islands Ecosystems at Risk. Honolulu, Hawaii, USA: HEAR, University of Hawaii. http://www.hear.org/pier/index.html
USDA-ARS, 2013. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online Database. Beltsville, Maryland, USA: National Germplasm Resources Laboratory. https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomysearch.aspx
Distribution References
Baksh-Comeau Y S, Maharaj S S, Adams C D, Harris S A, Filer D L, Hawthorne W D, 2016. An annotated checklist of the vascular plants of Trinidad and Tobago with analysis of vegetation types and botanical ‘hotspots’. Phytotaxa. 250 (1), 1-431.
Englberger K, 2009a. Invasive weeds of Pohnpei: A guide for identification and public awareness., Conservation Society of Pohnpei. 29 pp.
Flora Malesiana, 2019. Flora Malesiana Data Portal. National Herbarium of the Netherlands. http://portal.cybertaxonomy.org/flora-malesiana/
Graveson RS, 2012. Survey of invasive alien plant species on Gros Piton, Saint Lucia. Project No. GFL / 2328- 2713-4A86, GF-1030-09-03. Project No. GFL / 2328- 2713-4A86, GF-1030-09-03, GFL / 2328- 2713-4A86, GF-1030-09-03., Castries, St. Lucia: Department of Forestry.
Krauss U, Seier M, Stewart J, 2008. Mitigating the Threats of Invasive Alien Species in the Insular Caribbean. In: Report on Project Development Grant (PPG) Stakeholder Meeting, Piarco, Trinidad and Tobago: GEF, UNEP, CABI Caribbean and Latin America. 43 pp.
Le Bourgeois T, Grard P, Andrianaivo AP, Gaungoo A, Ibrahim Y, Randriamampianina JA, Balasubramanian D, Marnotte P, Blanfort V, Rajagopal P, Vattakaven T , Kazi TC, 2019. WIKTROP - Weed Identification and Knowledge in the Tropics and Mediterranean area - Web 2.0 participatory portal. https://portal.wiktrop.org/species/list
PIER, 2013. Pacific Islands Ecosystems at Risk., Honolulu, Hawaii, USA: HEAR, University of Hawaii. http://www.hear.org/pier/index.html
Renner SS, Pandey AK, 2013. The Cucurbitaceae of India: accepted names, synonyms, geographic distribution, and information on images and DNA sequences. PhytoKeys. 53-118. DOI:https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.20.3948
Staples G, 1989. Cucurbitaceae. In: Flora of the Lesser Antilles, Leeward and Windward Islands, 6 [ed. by Howard RA]. Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, USA: Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University. 474-497.
USDA-ARS, 2013. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online Database. Beltsville, Maryland, USA: National Germplasm Resources Laboratory. https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomysimple.aspx
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