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12. LufTa acutangula Roxb. Hort Beng. 70. 1814. (Fig. 170).
Cucumis acutanguhsus Linn.—Luffa foetida Cav.—Momordica iuffa Linn.
CUCURBITACEAE
Sinh. Daravelakolu. Vetakolu; Tarn. Peeram, Pckankai, Peyppichukku, Pekunkai;
Hindi Jinga. Sataputitorai, Torai, Turi; Sans. Dhamargowa, Dharaphala, Dirghaphala,
Gramya, Jalini. Jhingaka, Karkotaki, Koshataki, Kritawcdhana, Laghukoshataki, Pitapushpa.
Rajakoshataki, Rajimatphala, Saptaputri, Sukosha, Supushpa, Svaduphala.
A stout annual, climbing by means of tendrils, stems 5-angled, glabrous, often scabrid,
tendrils 3-fid and the young parts slightly pubescent; leaves simple, alternate, large, pale green,
6—23 cm long and as broad, orbicular in outline, very cordate at base, usually more or less
palmatifid, lobes acute, distantly denticulate, finely scabrous on both sides; nerves and veins
prominent beneath; petioles 1.5—6 cm long, angular, slightly scabrous; male flowers many in
axillary, 12—20-flowercd racemes, each flower carrying a small, fleshy bract near the base bearing
3 or 4 large immersed glands; calyx fused at the base with the base of the corolla to form a
campanulate tube, segments 5 or 6, 9—9.5 mm long, 3.5—4 mm broad, lanceolate, hairy with
or without immersed glands; petals 5 or 6, free on the calyx-tube, infolded, hairy on both sides;
stamens 3 or 4, epipetalous, filaments hairy; female flowers solitary in the same axils as the males
or separate, ovary inferior, 2.5—3 cm long, strongly 10-ridged, style short, thick, stigmas
3, large, bilobed; fruit 15—30 cm long, clavate-oblong tapering to the base, very obtuse,
smooth, longitudinally ribbed or almost winged with 10 sharp angles or ridges; seeds numerous,
1 .2 cm long, oblong—ovoid, much compressed, slightly corrugated on the sides and black in
colour.
Flowers almost all the year round.
Illustration. Kirtikar and Basu, Indian Med. Plants, pi. 449. 1933.
Distribution. Indigenous in India and in Malay Archipelago. It is frequently cultivated
in Ceylon in the mid and low-country and also in other tropical countries.
India. Buysman, Sept. 1899. Ceylon. Thwaites CP. 1624, Eastern Prov., Thwaites CP.
1623; Central Prov., Peradeniya, cultivated, Herb. Peradeniya, Feb. 1898. Indo-China. Hue
and vicinity, Squires 308, Jan.—May 1927.
Composition. The fruit contains an amorphous bitter principle, luffeine and it is a good
source of iron, calcium, phosphorus and vitamin B. The seeds contain a fixed oil which consists
of the glycerides of palmitic, stearic and myristic acids. Both vegetative and reproductive organs
contain hydrocyanic acid.
Uses. The fruit is cooked and consumed as a vegetable. The bruised leaves are applied
locally to splenitis, haemorrhoids and leprosy and the expressed juice dropped into the eyes of
children for granular conjunctivitis. The fruit is used in combination with other drugs in the
treatment of snake-bites. The dried fruits are powdered and made into a snuff for
treating jaundice. In Mauritius, the seed is used as a strong purgative, the active principle
being elaterin. The oil extracted from the dry seeds is used in skin diseases. The root is used
as a purgative in Russia and in India, while in the latter country it is used for dropsy as well.
Both fruit and seeds are toxic to fish.
The fibre is used for making hats in Nigeria, Senegal and Ghana.
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