,r\/*> - National Science Foundation

20. Trichosanthes cucumerina Linn. Sp. PI. 1008. 1753. (Fig. 178).
CUCURBITACEAE
Trichosanthes laciniosa Klein.—Trichosanthes pilosa Wall.—Trichosanthes amara Blanco—
Trichosanthes locuniana Naves—Bryonia umbellata Wall.—Cucumis missionis Wall.
Sinh. Dummella; Tarn. Kattuppeyppudal, PudaJ, Pcyppudal; Hindi Janglichichonda;
Sans. Amritaphala, Bijagarbha, Jvaranashana, Jyotsna, Kachhughni, Kachhura, Kadupatola,
Karkashachhada, Karkashadala, Kasabhangana, Kasamaradana, Katuka, Katuphala, Kulaja,
Kulaka, Kushthaha, Kushtari, Lataphala, Nagaphala. Pancharajiphala, Panduka, Panduphala,
Panjura, Patola, Patri, Patrika, Rajapatola, Rajimana, Rajiphala, Tiktabhadraka, Tiktaka,
Tiktapatola. Tiktottama, Vajimana, Varatikta.
An annual, tendril climber, 3.6—4.5 m long with slender, glabrous or slightly hairy,
furrowed stems and 3-fid tendrils; leaves simple, alternate, 5—12 cm long, 65—11 cm broad
or broader, very cordate with an excavated sinus at the base, more or less deeply palmately 3-or
5-or 7-lobed, usually about half way down, lobes rounded or subacute, distantly denticulate,
glabrous or nearly so above, more or less pubescent beneath; petioles 2—4.5 cm long, pubescent;
flowers white, regular, unisexual, monoecious, males in long stalked racemes, females often in
the same axil, solitary and short stalked; male flowers: peduncles 5—15 cm long bearing 8—15
flowers near the apex, pedicels 0.8—2 cm long, pubescent; sepals 5, fused into a campanulate
calyx-tube, about 2.5 cm long, dilated at the top, segments narrowly lanceolate, acute, spreading;
petals 5, distinct, 1 cm 'ong, lanceolate-oblong with a tuft of curled laciniae at apex; stamens
3, inserted in the calyx-tube, fi'aments short, anthers connate, linear-oblong, cells conduplicate;
female flowers: peduncles 0.3—1.6 cm long, hairy, calyx-tube gradually dilated upwards,
lower part often hairy; ovary inferior, unilocular with 3 large, fleshy, parietal placentas, style
simple, stigmas 3; fruit 3.7—5 cm long, 2—2.3 cm diameter, ovoid-fusiform tapering at both
ends with a long sharp beak, striped with white, afterwards turning scarlet, pericarp thin; seeds
oblong, glabrous, 1 cm long surrounded by a red pulp.
Flowers from September to December.
Illustrations. Kirtikar and Basu, Indian Med. Plants, pi. 444B. 1933; Herb. Peradeniya,
drawing.
Distribution. Occurs in India, Ceylon, Malay Peninsula and in Luzon in the Philippine
Islands. In Ceylon, it is common in the low-country.
India. Plan Ganget. Sup. T. Thomson. Ceylon. Northern Prov., Mullaittivu, Alston 1451,
March 1927. Western Prov., Kalutara, Thwaites CP. 2806; Walker. Eastern Prov., Batticaloa,
Thwaites CP. 1620. Uva Prov.. Weragantota, Alston 1963, Feb. 1926. Maldive Islands. Fainu,
Gardiner, 1899—1900.
Uses. Used along with other drugs for indigestion, dyspepsia, jaundice, fever, dropsy,
acute bronchitis, pneumonia, anaemia, catarrh, bilious fevers, boils, sores, skin eruptions such
as urticaria, eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis and diabetes. The juice of the plant produces vomiting
and the root is a violent purgative and anthelmintic. In Konkan, the juice of the leaves is rubbed
over the liver to relieve liver congestion. The seeds are used for stomach disorders on the
Malabar Coast. The fruit is used as an anthelmintic in French Guiana
163