Known in the Philippines as patola, this climbing gourd is harvested young as a vegetable for Filipino cooking and, left to mature and dry, produces the fibrous sponge used for washing.
This plate of Luffa petola belongs to Flora de Filipinas, the first comprehensive study of Philippine plants, compiled by the Augustinian botanist Manuel Blanco and first published in 1837. The illustrated edition produced in Manila between 1877 and 1883 rendered each plant as a colored lithograph by Filipino and Spanish artists. This plate records the plant's vine, leaves, flowers, and elongated fruit with the scientific precision that defined the work. Original folios can be viewed at the San Agustin Museum in Intramuros.
This print preserves a botanical plate from one of the most important illustrated works in Philippine history.
Available as a fine art print
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