Sponge or ridged gourd, Sinkwa towel sponge, Chinese squash Sponge or ridged gourd, Sinkwa towel sponge, Chinese squash

Cucumis acutangulus Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 2: 1011. 1753

Varieties 2 (1 in the flora): introduced; Asia (India, Pakistan); introduced also in West Indies (Puerto Rico).

Variety amara (Roxburgh) C. B. Clarke is native in India and Pakistan; compared to the typical variety, it has leaves small and softly villous, petal apices round or scarcely emarginate, and fruits smaller and obovoid-oblong. The range and magnitude of difference suggests that var. amara may be justifiably treated as a distinct species, depending on the degree of isolation.

Lower Taxon

• Luffa acutangula var. acutangula