Loofah

Loofah, EGYPTIAN. Under this name the fibrous portion of the fruit of one or two species of Luffa (nat. ord. Cucurbitaceæ) is sold in England for use as a bath-sponge or flesh-rubber. There are about ten species of the genus known, but the 'towel gourd,' as this bath-sponge is sometimes called, appears to be obtained chiefly from L. ægyptiaca. In the West Indies the fruit of L. acutangula yields a similar network of fibres, and it is there used as a sponge or dishcloth. The fibrous portion of these gourds is also worked up into baskets and small ornamental articles.