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Melothria sphaerocarpa
Also called Egusi Itoo, White Seed Melon
Dark Egusi is a climbing annual vine from the gourd family, grown mainly in West Africa for its large white edible seeds, which are used in soups, oil and snacks. It needs warm, frost-free conditions and a sunny spot with room to climb.
Melothria sphaerocarpa is a species of melon native from southern Mexico and the Dominican Republic through Central America to tropical South America. It has been introduced to western tropical Africa, where has been known under the synonym Cucumeropsis mannii, and is grown for food and as a source of oil, more often for the seed oil than for the fruit.
Its common names include egusi in Yoruba, 'egwusi in Igbo and agushi in Hausa. Vernacular names for this crop include egusi-itoo. In English it is known as Mann's cucumeropsis and white-seed melon.
This crop is often referred to as "the real egusi" given its long history in West Africa. This crop is primarily harvested for its large white seeds called egusi-itoo. The seeds are commonly processed into soups and oil products, and are also eaten individually as a snack. The crop thrives in harsh climates and high yields are attainable in barren landscapes. Pests and disease are rarely a problem for farmers of this crop. Further benefits include increased soil quality through ground cover and suppression of weeds. This crop also holds significant nutritional value. Oil makes up 44% of the seed, where 30% is protein rich in essential amino acids. The seed is an excellent vegetable protein, and is ideal for battling nutritional debilitations. High in essential vitamins and minerals, egusi-itoo complements the starch and grain diet of most Africans. Despite the crop's obvious advantages, it remains an underutilized tool for nutritional intervention in Africa.
Melothria sphaerocarpa is native to southeast Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Central America (Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama) and tropical South America (Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, north Brazil, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela). It has been introduced to many countries in west tropical Africa (Angola, Benin, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, the Gulf of Guinea Islands, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Uganda).
The kernel of the egusi-itoo seed is 44% oil, 30% protein, 10% carbohydrate, 4% ash and 3% fiber. The oil of this seed is 64.9% linoleic acid, 12.4% oleic acid, 11.8% stearic acid and 10.9% palmitic acid. Vitamins Thiamin, Niacin, B1 and B2 are also prevalent in the seed, as well as many micronutrients. Notable minerals include phosphorus, as the largest mineral component, with potassium, magnesium, manganese, sulfur, calcium, iron and zinc to follow. The bulk of carbohydrates are starch and soluble sugars. Egusi-itoo is the perfect complement to the largely starch-rich grain diet of Africa, providing a high-protein and high-energy concentrate. The seed contains every important macro and micro-nutrient in quantities ideal for nutrition. The amino acid content of egusi-itoo proteins makes it a sufficient vegetable protein. This composition is ideal for sick and growing bodies, providing essential amino acids and calories. Just 100 g of seed daily provides essential fatty acid, amino acid and Vitamin E requirements.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Melothria sphaerocarpa by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
