Luffa

Luffa
Egyptian luffa with nearly mature fruit
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Cucurbitales
Family:	Cucurbitaceae
Subfamily:	Cucurbitoideae
Tribe:	Benincaseae
Subtribe:	Luffinae
Genus:	Luffa Mill.
Species
Luffa acutangula (Angled luffa, ridged luffa, vegetable gourd) Luffa aegyptiaca / Luffa cylindrica (Smooth luffa, Egyptian luffa, dishrag gourd, gourd loofa) Luffa operculata (Wild loofa, sponge cucumber)
Synonyms
Poppya Neck. ex M.Roem. Trevauxia Steud., orth. var. Trevouxia Scop. Turia Forssk.

Luffa operculata

Luffa aegyptiaca

A luffa (also spelled loofah or loofa) is a long thin dried inner part of the fruit of a tropical plant related to the cucumber . It is often used as a sponge for washing the body. Before it gets ripe, it is also a good vegetable. It also comes from dried corn on the cob stems.