376 WILD FOOD PLANTS OF THE PHILIPPINES 



length and the cultivated ones up to at least 25 centimeters in 

 length. The fruits and young growth are boiled and eaten by 

 the Filipinos with meat and other vegetables. 



Momordica chcumitia is an herbaceous, annual vine, climbing 

 by tendrils which are up to 20 centimeters in length. It is 

 nearly or quite smooth. The leaves are heart-shaped at the base, 

 2.5 to 10 centimeters in diameter, and cut nearly to the base 

 into five or seven variously toothed and divided lobes. The 

 flowers occur in the axils of the leaves on long stalks. They are 

 yellow and about 12 millimeters long. 



This species grows in thickets and waste places throughout 

 the Philippines, and is also extensively cultivated for its edible 

 fruits. 



MOMORDICA COCHINCHINENSIS Spreng. TaB0G-6k. 



Local names: Bayok-bayok (Mindoro) ; libds (Ilocos Sur) ; parog-pdrog- 

 ti-no&yig, parog-purog-ii-tdwo (Union); parug-pdnig (Cagayan) ; tabog-6k 

 (Camarines). 



The young leafy shoots are cooked as a vegetable. The pulp 

 of the fruit is also edible. 



Momordica cochinchinensis is a coarse vine reaching a length 

 of 15 meters and climbing by means of tendrils. It is slightly 

 hairy or nearly smooth. The leaves are 8 to 18 centimeters long, 

 deeply three-lobed, or sometimes entire, the base heart-shaped. 

 The petals are pale yellow, and from 3.5 to 4 centimeters long. 

 The fruits are ovoid or somewhat rounded, 8 to 12 centimeters 

 in diameter, yellow, and roughened with scattered tubercle-like 

 spines. 



This species is distributed from northern Luzon to southern 

 Mindanao. 



Family COMPOSITAE 



Genus BIDENS 

 BIDENS CHINENSIS Willd. AnGGUAT. 



Local names: Angnar (Nueva Vizcaya) ; anggndt (Benguet) ; jmrpurikit 

 (Ilocos Norte); tagob (Mindoro). 



The Igorots of Benguet mix this plant with half-boiled grains 

 of rice in making rice wine, or tafei. 



Bidens chinensis is an herb about a meter in height, with 

 yellow flowers and lobed, toothed leaves. 



This species is distributed from northern Luzon to Mindanao. 



