Bosa E. Okoli

Fluted pumpkin,Telfairia occidentalis: West African vegetable crop

Fluted pumpkin, Telfairia occidentalis, is native to West Africa but occurs mostly in its cultivated form in various parts of southern Nigeria.It is widely cultivated for its palatable and nutritious leaves which are used mainly as vegetable. The seeds are also nutritious and rich in an oil which may be used for cooking and soap manufacture. Its taxonomy, morphology and potential uses are discussed in relation to its economic importance as a tropical crop.

Wild and cultivated cucurbits in Nigeria

The family Cucurbitaceae is represented in Nigeria by 21 genera, many of which are of considerable economic importance. Certain genera, such asTelfairia, Cucurbita andCitrullus, are commonly cultivated in southern Nigeria since their fruits and/or leaves constitute important items in the local diet. Other genera are significant as oil plants, medicinal plants, sources of tanning materials, sponges and household utensils.

Multivariate pattern of quantitative trait variation in triploid banana and plantain cultivars

Abstract Plantains and bananas ( Musa spp. L.) are inter- or intraspecific triploid hybrids derived from crosses between M. acuminata Colla. (A genome) and M. balbisiana Colla. (B genome). Cultivars have been assigned to different taxonomic groups (AA, BB, AAA, AAB, ABB, etc.) based on morphological qualitative descriptors. Principal component analysis of 15 quantitative traits was carried out to establish a more objective taxonomic relationship of cultivar groups and subgroups in the Musa germplasm. Fruit traits, number of neutral flowers, total number of leaves, plant girth at 50 cm, and days to flowering and harvest were the major discriminating traits in the germplasm. Principal components analyses grouped Musa germplasm into AAB plantains, AAA dessert bananas and ABB cooking bananas. The AAB starchy bananas appear to be separated into two subgroups with one being close to the AAB plantains and the other being close to the ABB cooking bananas. The dwarf French AAB plantain cultivar ‘Njock Kon’ appears to be a mutant of a giant AAB plantain cultivar.

CHROMOSOME NUMBERS OF COSTUS LUCANUSIANUS (COSTACEAE) IN NIGERIA

Chromosome counts onCostus lucanusianus in Nigeria were carried out. Diploid (2n=18) and triploid (2n=27) chromosome numbers were found. The diploid cytotype is reported for the first time for this taxon.

Observations on the floral morphology of someDioscorea species (Dioscoreaceae) in Nigeria

Observations on floral morphology of eight species ofDioscorea L., namely,D. bulbifera L.,D. dumetorum(Kunth) Pax,D. hirtifloraBenth.,D. minutifloraEngl.,D. preussiiPax,D. odoratissimaPax,D. rotundataPoir. andD. SmilacifoliaDe Wild. are presented. The most remarkable distinctive features of the taxa studied are: the presence of large fruits and raceme inflorescences inD. preussii, the absence of pendulous inflorescences inD. dumetorum, and the absence of stalks in female flowers ofD. bulbifera.

Chromosome number and cytomorphological characterization of a polyploid Abrus

Chromosome counts from natural populations of Abrus pulchellus in Nigeria were carried out. Tetraploid (2n = 44) chromosome number was constant in all the samples investigated. The 44 chromosomes fall into three cytomorphological categories: eight metacentric and eight submetacentric pairs, and six acrocentric pairs. The chromosomes are relatively small in length ranging from 0.5 to 1.4�m. The polyploid (tetraploid) cytotype is reported for the first time for this taxon.

Palynology ofTelfairia L. (Cucurbitaceae)

Okoli B. E. etNyananyo B. L. (1988): Palynology ofTelfairia L. (Cucurbitaceae).—Folia Geobot. Phytotax., Praha, 23: 281–283.—Scanning and transmission electron microscopic studies were carried out on the pollen of the two species ofTelfairia, T. pedata(Sims.) Hooker andT. occidentolisHooker fil. Pollen grains in both species are spheroidal, tricolporate and tectate. The extexine is finely reticulate. The tectum, foot layer and columellae are all well developed. Significant differences of taxonomic value do not exist in the structure of the pollen of the two species.