Dlium

Calabash ( Lagenaria siceraria ) is a plant species in the Cucurbitaceae family. It is an annual, monoecious herb that grows as a vine or creeper, featuring tendrils that branch into two at the base. The leaves are simple, arranged alternately, and lack stipules. The petioles (leaf stalks) are 2.5–12.5 cm long, hairy, and possess a pair of small glands near the apex. The leaf blades range from broadly ovate to kidney-shaped, measuring 3–33 cm in width and 4.5–33 cm in length; they may be entire or have 5–9 shallow, palmate lobes. The leaf base is cordate (heart-shaped), the margins are shallowly notched or toothed, and the venation is palmate. The flowers are unisexual, appearing singly in the leaf axils; they are symmetrical, pentamerous (five-parted), and reach up to 15 cm in diameter. The receptacle tube is inversely conical to cylindrical, 1–1.5 cm long, with distinct, separate lobes. The petals are free and white. Male flowers have pedicels (stalks) 7–31 cm long and three free st...

Blackcurrant ( Ribes nigrum ) is a plant species in the Grossulariaceae family. It is a medium-sized shrub that grows to 1.5 meters in height and 1.5 meters in width. Its leaves are simple and arranged alternately; they measure 3 cm in width and 5 cm in length, featuring five palmate lobes and serrated margins. The entire plant emits a strong aroma. The flowers appear in clusters (racemes) up to 8 cm long, each consisting of 10–20 individual blossoms, each 8 mm in diameter. Every flower has hairy sepals dotted with yellow glands. The five sepal lobes are longer than the petals. There are five stamens surrounding the stigma and style, along with two fused carpels. The flowers bloom sequentially, starting from the base of the cluster. They are primarily pollinated by insects, though some pollen is also dispersed by the wind. R. nigrum is also capable of a degree of self-pollination. The fruit, initially green, ripens into a glossy, deep purple—appearing almost black—with the sepals rem...

Jack bean ( Canavalia ensiformis ) is a plant species in the Fabaceae family. It is an annual herb with a deep, white root system; it grows vigorously, climbing, twining, and spreading, reaching lengths of up to 10 meters. The stems become somewhat woody with age. Branching occurs from the lower nodes, with the development of secondary branches. The stem surface is green and covered in hairs. The leaves are compound and petiolate, consisting of three leaflets arranged alternately. Each leaflet is 7.5–15 cm long and 5–10 cm wide, green in color, with a rounded base, entire margins, curved venation, and a hairy surface. The inflorescences are axillary, 7.5–20 cm long, and bear papilionaceous (butterfly-like) flowers that range in color from bright red to white. The corolla is also papilionaceous and purple, measuring 2–4 cm in length. The fruit is an oblong, laterally compressed pod—yellow or white in color—containing 8-16 seeds; the hilum is brown and 6–9 mm long. The individual seeds ...