Lxii. cucuiiuitace.t;. o29 



V. 2, p. 248 ; Woodr. in Journ. Bomb. Nat. v. 11 (1898) p. 040 ; Watt, 

 Diet. Ecou. Prod. v. 5, p. 250, — Plowers : May-Aug. Vkrn. Kdrale. 



Widely cultivated. Dec(an : IVoodrowl; Toona districts, KavU/cfir\ Si.vn : 

 Larkhaiia, CWX-e! ; near Karachi, Z//i"/« 7'«/vm !—Distiuii. Tliroiigliout India; Oeylon, 

 Malaja, China, Ti'opical Africa. 



The iriiit is eaten, but requires steeping in .salt water before use. Tiie root, as well 

 as the fruit, is also used medicinally. 



2. Momordica Balsamina, Lirm. ,Sp. PI. (1753) p. 1009. 

 Monoecious ; stem 2-5 ft, long, very slender, branched, grooved, sub- 

 glabrotis. Tendrils simple, filiform, glabrous. Leaves membranous, 

 orbicular in outline, H-^ in, in diam,, cordate at the base with a broad 

 sinus, palmately 3-5-lobed to about the middle, the lobes rhomboid, 

 deejjly lobulale, acute and mucronulate at the apex, usually constricted 

 at the base, the sinus between the lobes broad and rounded ; petioles 

 5-1 4 in. long, striate, pubescent. Male flowers: Peduncles 1- 

 Howered, slightly pubescent at the apex, otherwise glabrous or nearly 

 so, slender. 1-3 in, long ; bract towards the apex of the peduncle, 

 ]^-^ in. wide, cordate, orbicular, denticulate, variegated green and white, 

 reticulately veined. Calyx ^ in. long, pubescent; lobes i in. long, 

 5-7-nerved, triangular, acute, with a long slender mucro. Corolla 

 subregular, yellowish A\ith a dark base, | in. long, obovate, subobtuse, 

 reticulately veined, sometimes apiculate. Anther-cells flexuous, the 

 connective broad. Female flowehs : Peduncles 4— i in. long, usually 

 ebracteate, or bracteate at the base. Calyx-lobes " linear-lanceolate. 

 Ovary fusiform, beaked, verrucose. Fruit 1-3 in. long, ovoid, narrowed 

 to both ends, rostrate, fleshy, smooth or muricate. Seeds ash-colored, 

 ellipsoid, compressed, § by i by j\ in., rugulose on the flat faces, and 

 with a grooved margin which is tuberculate ou the edges. Fl. B. I. v. 2, 

 p. 017 ; Aitch. Pb. & Sind PI. p. 03 ; Hook. f. in Oliver, Fl. Trop, Afr. 

 V. 2, p. 537; Woodr. in Journ. Bomb. Nat. v. 11 (1898) p. 040; 

 Watt, Diet. Econ. Prod. v. 5, p. 250. — Flowers : Nov. Vebn. (Sindi) 

 Kurelo-jangro. 



Common in Sind, also found in Gujarat, but rare in the Deccan. Gujakat : 

 Pahlanpur, Woodrow ; Ahmedabad, Eaoji ! Sind : indigenous, Stocks cf Aitchison, 

 Bliola P lira II \ IVoodroiv ; Mnlir near Karachi, CookeX — Distuib. India (Panjab, 

 N.W. Provinces) ; Malaya, Australia, W. Asia, Africa. 



3. Momordica dioica, Boxh, in Willd. Sp. PI. v. 4 (1805) p. 005. 

 Dioecious, perennial, with tuberous roots ; stem slender, branched, 

 furrowed, glabrous and shining. Tendrils simple, elongate, striate, 

 glabrous. Leaves membranous, broadly ovate in outline, variable, 1^-4 

 by lj-3^ in., cordate at the base, glabrous, minutely punctate, entire 

 or more or less deeply 3-5-lobed, the lobes triangular, ovate or oblong, 

 distantly denticulate; petioles ^-11 in. long, channelled above, pubes- 

 cent, eglandular, Male flowers : Peduncle solitary, 1-flowered, 

 l|-5 in, long, slender, angled, usually pubescent near the top, otherwise 

 glabrous ; bract cucullate, inserted a little below the flower and en- 

 closing it, orbicular-reniform, 4-| in, broad, usually pubescent on both 

 sides, strongly nerved, often ciliolale. Calyx-lobes distant, 4—1- in. long, 

 lineai'-lanceolate. Petals |-1 in, long, wholly yellow, oblong-lanceolate. 

 Female floweks : Peduncles nearly as long as those of the male, 

 usually with a small bract near the base. Ovary clothed with long soft 

 papilhe. Fruit 1-2^ in. long, ellipsoid, shortly beaked, densely echinate 



