N. 0. CUCURBITACE.E. 597 



Var. (1) momordica, Roxb. 700. 



Sans. : — Ervaru. 



Vern. : — Phut or phunt (ripe) ; Kachra (when unripe) ; Tuti 

 (H.) ; Phuti (B.) ; Rakari-kai (Tarn.) ; Pedda-kai, Pedda-dosrai 

 (Tel.). 



An annual herb, cultivated. Stem scabrous. Leaves round- 

 ish cordate, sometimes o-angled or obscurely lobed, repand- 

 toothed : Flowers short peduncled, males fascicled, female 

 solitary. Petals slightly acute. Fruit cylindric-oblong, straight, 

 4-times larger than thick, bursting spontaneously, 12-14in. long. 



Use : — The seeds are used as a cooling medicine (Watt). 



. Sans. : — Karkati. 



Var, (2) utilissimus Roxb. 701. 



Vern. : — Kakri, (H.) Kakur (B.) ; Kukri (Kangra) ; Dosray, 

 Velliri, Kakkarik (Tarn.) ; Kakadi (Bomb.) ; Kakdi (Dec.) ; 

 Tarkakdi (Poona). 



Habitat :- Cultivated in Bengal, U. P. and the Punjab, 



during the hot weather and the rains. 



Stems exactly as in C. sativus, but not quite so extensive. Tendrils 

 simple. Leaves broadcordate, generally more or less five-lobed ; lobes rounded, 

 toothletted ; above pretty smooth, below scabrous, the largest generally about 

 6 inches each way. Floral leaves of the female flowers sessile, and very 

 small. Male flowers axilliary, peduncled, crowded, but opening in succession. 

 Female flowers axillary, peduncled, solitary, both sorts yellow, about an inch 

 or an inch and a half in diameter. Fruit fleshy, generally a very perfect oval ; 

 when young downy and clouded with lighter and darker green ; when ripe 

 perfectly smooth, variegated with deeper and lighter yellow ; from four to six 

 inches long, and from three to four in diameter (Roxburgh). 



Uses : — The seeds are described as cooling, edible, nutritive 

 and diuretic, and are used in painful micturition and suppres- 

 tion of urine. Two drachms of the seeds, rubbed into a pulp 

 with water are given alone or in combination with salt and 

 Kdnjika (U. C. Dutt). 



The powder of the toasted seeds is described as a powerful 

 diuretic, and serviceable in promoting the passage of sand or 

 gravel (Roxburgh). 



