Acanthosicyos horridus
| Acanthosicyos horridus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Cucurbitales |
| Family: | Cucurbitaceae |
| Genus: | Acanthosicyos |
| Species: | A. horridus |
| Binomial name | |
| Acanthosicyos horridus Welw. ex Hook.f. | |
Acanthosicyos horridus is an unusual melon that occurs only in Namibia; it is locally called naras or nara.
The nara plant is leafless, the modified stems and spines serve as the photosynthetic "organs" of the plant.[1]
The edible seeds are known locally as butterpips.[2]
The fruit serves as an essential food source for Topnaar people from February to April and August to September.[1] The katydid Acanthoproctus diadematus feeds on the plant, moving between different bushes at night.[3]
References
- 1 2 "Nara Plant, Acanthosicyos horrida, Namibia". Siyabona Africa, Kruger Park Safaris. Archived from the original on 9 June 2011. Retrieved 2011-06-23.
- ↑ Grubben, G.J.H. & Denton, O.A. (2004) Plant Resources of Tropical Africa 2. Vegetables. PROTA Foundation, Wageningen; Backhuys, Leiden; CTA, Wageningen.
- ↑ Conti, E.; Viglianisi, F.M. (2005). "Ecology of the calling song of two Namibian armoured ground crickets, Acanthoplus longipes and Acanthoproctus diadematus (Orthoptera Tettigoniidae Hetrodinae)". Ethology Ecology & Evolution 17 (3): 261–269. doi:10.1080/08927014.2005.9522596.
External links
- PROTAbase on Acanthosicyos horridus
- Dressler, S.; Schmidt, M. & Zizka, G. (2014). [http://www.africanplants.senckenberg.de/root/index.php?submitForm=true&page_id=77&searchTextMenue=Acanthosicyos+horridus&filterRegionIDs[]=6&filterRegionIDs[]=1&filterRegionIDs[]=2&filterRegionIDs[]=3&filterRegionIDs[]=5 "Acanthosicyos horridus"]. African plants – a Photo Guide. Frankfurt/Main: Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg.
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