N. o. cucurbitace^:. 583 



occasionally in place of the earlier is found a female. Calyx- 

 tube lin. Fiuit l-3in. ovoid conical. Seeds f-jin., corrugate, 

 half-ellipsoid, compressed, in red pulp. (C. B. Clarke). 



Uses : — Mahomedan writers describe the plant as cardiacal, 

 tonic, alterative and antifebrile, and say that it is an useful 

 medicine for boils and intestinal worms. The author of the 

 Makhzan remarks that the Hindoos in obstinate cases of fever, 

 infuse 180 grains of the plant with an equal quantity of the 

 coriander, for a night, and in the morning add honey to it and 

 strain the liquor. This quantity makes 2 doses, one of which is 

 taken in the morning and one at night. In Bombay, the plant 

 has a reputation as a febrifuge ; it is given in decoction with 

 ginger, chiretta and honey. In the Concan, the leaf juice is 

 rubbed over the liver or even the whole body in remittent fevers 

 (Dymock). 



The seeds are reputed good in disorder of the stomach on 

 the Malabar Coast. The unripe fruit is very bitter ; the tender 

 shoots and dried capsules are bitter and aperient ; they are 

 given in infusion. In decoction with sugar, they are given 

 to assist digestion. Tbe seeds are antifebrile and anthel- 

 mintic. The juice of the leaves expressed is emetic and that 

 of the root, drunk in the quantity of 2oz. for a dose, is very 

 purgative. The stalk in decoction is expectorant (Drury). 



529. T.anguind, Linn., h.f.b.i., ii. 610; Roxb. 

 69. 



Sans. : — Chichinda. 



Vern. : — Chachenda (H.) ; Chichinga (B.) ; Parula, Padavala 

 (Bomb.) ; Linga potla, Potla, Potla kaya (Tel.); Padavala kayf 

 (Kan.); Galartori ; Pandol ; Chichinda (Pb.). 



Habitat : — Cultivated throughout India. 



An annual climber, much cultivated for its fruit, which is 

 used as a wholesome vegetable. Leaves cordate-sub-reniform, 

 more or less 5-(3-7-)lobed, 5-angular lobes, not acuminate, 

 pubescent or puberulous on both surfaces. Tendrils 3-fid. Male 

 flowers in a large peduncled raceme, with a small entire bract 

 at the base of pedicel ; female solitary, on a short peduncle, from 

 the same axils with the male. Fruit elongate cylindric, 



