Phytogeographical Distribution and Fruit Diversity of <i>Lagenaria siceraria</i> Species in Nigeria

Abstract

Phytogeographical distribution and fruit diversity of Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) Standl species in Nigeria were accessed. Information on the distribution and fruit diversity was sourced from three herbaria, Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria Herberia, University of Port Harcourt Herberia and the University of Ibadan Herberia. A field survey across fifteen states in Nigeria namely Kaduna, Kano, Plateau, Oyo, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Taraba, Bayelsa and Enugu, Ebonyi, Ondo, Ogun, Kwara Anambra and Rivers State. A total of twenty-four fruit shapes were accessed. The diversity of fruit shapes across the geographical regions of Nigeria shows that the Guinea savannah has all the twenty-four different landraces represented, while Tropical rain forest has nineteen, Sudan savannah has seventeen and Freshwater swamp and the Saltwater swamp has eleven different fruit shapes respectively. The fruits of Lagenaria siceraria (Mol) Standl is considered a topocline since it is not affected only by environmental factors but possess a wide distribution pattern across the geographical regions of Nigeria.