,r\/*> - National Science Foundation
,r\/*> - National Science Foundation
,r\/*> - National Science Foundation
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
14. Melothria heterophylla Cogn. in DC. Mon. Phan. 3: 618. 1881. (Fig. 172).<br />
CUCURBITACEAE<br />
Sotena heterophylla Lour.—Zehneria hastata Miq.—Zehneria umbellata Thw.—Zehneria connivens<br />
Miq.—Karivia umbellata Arn.—Karivia rheedii Roem.—Momordica umbellata Roxb.—Bryonia<br />
umbellata Klein.—Bryonia amplexicaulis Lamk.—Bryonia sagittata Blume.—Bryonia rheedii<br />
Bl.—Harlandia bryonioides Hance.<br />
Sinh. Kawudu-kekiri; Tarn. Peyppudal; Hindi Amantmul; Sans. Karivivalli.<br />
Perennial,, tendril climber with very long, slender, glabrous stems, root with pendulous<br />
tubers, tendrils very long and young parts puberulous; leaves simple, alternate, very variable,<br />
7. 5—10 cm long, usually triangular ovate with a cordato—hastate base, lobes often overlapping<br />
but sometimes prolonged into oblong or even linear divaricate lobes, acute, distantly denticulate,<br />
slightly rough with scales, bright green above, smooth and glaucous beneath, scabrous on margin;<br />
petioles 11.2 cm long, cylindrical, twisted; flowers regular, yellowish white, unisexual,<br />
dioecious, males on slender pedicels, numerous, crowded in a close, umbellate, pedunculate<br />
corymb much shorter than the leaves, females solitary; sepals 5, fused into a campanulate calyx<br />
limb, segments minute; petals 5, very slightly connate at base, very short, triangular; male<br />
flowers: stamens 3, inserted low down in the calyx, anthers small,distinct, cells slightly curved;<br />
female flowers: ovary inferior, calyx-tube constricted above the ovary into a narrow neck,<br />
glabrous, 10-ribbed with 3 placentas, style stout, surrounded at base by a lobed disc and three<br />
erect staminodes, stigmas very large; fruit about 3.7 cm long, oblong-ovoid, cylindrical, tapering<br />
to a point but not beaked, smooth and red in colour; seeds ovoid, scarcely compressed, smooth<br />
and white.<br />
Flowers from June to July.<br />
Illustrations. Rhcede, Hort. Ind. Mai, 8: pi. 26. 1678—1703; Kirtikar and Basu, Indian<br />
Med. Plants, pi. 466 B. 1933.<br />
Distribution. Occurs in tropical Asia, India, Ceylon, China, Java, etc. In Ceylon, it is<br />
very common in the moist low-country.<br />
India. Nepal: Wallich 67057*. 1821; Wallich 6705Z.. Sikkim: J. D. Hooker. Khasia:<br />
J. D. Hooker and T. Thomson. Simla: T Thomson; Bengal: Kurz. Pen. Ind. Or., Herb. Wight<br />
1129, Kew Distribution 1866—7. Ceylon. Thwaites CP. 1619. Western Prov.,Katunayake,^/j/o/t<br />
2395, Aug. 1928. Uva Prov., Herb. Peradeniya, Jan. 1888; Ella Pass, Herb. Peradeniya, Sept.<br />
1890; Moneragala, Alston, March 1928.<br />
Uses. The juice of the root along with other ingredients is given as a remedy for spermatorrhoea.<br />
In Indo-china, the seeds are used as a purgative.<br />
151