588 
INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 
An annual, climbing not extensively, sparingly scabrous 
pilose, tendrils 2-fid. Leaves l-2in. diam., cordate reniform, 
orbicular, entire or obscurely 5-angular or 5-lobed, or cut almost 
to the base into 5 narrow sinuate-pinnatifid segments, dentate ; 
petiole l-2in. Male peduncles normally paired, one l-flowered, 
the other racemed very long, 6-in. or more, pedicel lin. 
Flowers small, white, without bracts. Filaments 3, 2 with 
2-celled anthers. Peduncle of the solitary female very short. 
Fruit 1J by fin., ellipsoid densely covered with bristles ; ribs 
not visible ; spines Jin., ciliate ; stopple without spines, Calyx- 
teeth persistent. Seeds Jin., many slightly scabrous. 
Uses : — In the Concan, a few grains of the bitter fibrous con- 
tents of the fruit are given in infusion for snake-bite and in 
cholera after each stool ; in putrid fevers, the infusion is applied 
to the whole body, and in jaundice it is applied to the head 
and also given internally ; the infusion has also a reputation as 
a remedy for colic (Dymock). 
The fruit is considered in North India as a powerful remedy 
for dropsy (O’Shaughnessy). The fruit has purgative pro- 
perties (S. Arjun). 
535 . Benicassa eerifera, Savi., h.f.b.i., ii. 616 . 
Syn. : — Cucurbita Pepo, Roxb. 700 
Eng : — The white melon. 
Sans. : — Kfishmanda, Kfish-pandaha. 
V ern- Petha, gol-kaddfi (Pb.) ; Kumra, chalkumra (B.) ; 
Gol-kaddu, kudlmah, konhda, kumrha, petha, phuthia (H.) ; 
Kumhra, bhunja (Kuruaon) ; Kohala, Dangar, Bhopala (Mar.); 
Kusbm&nd, kohula (Cutch); Bhuru-kolu, koholu (Guz.) ; 
Kohala, koholen, golkadu, Pandri chiclci (Bom.) ; Gol-kuddu 
(Sind.) ; Kaliyana-pushinik-kay (Tam.) ; Burda-gumudu, budide 
gummadi, pendli-gummadi-kaya (Tel.) ; Kumpalanna ; Kumpa- 
lara (Mai.) ; Bude-kumbala-kayi (Kan). 
Habitat : — Cultivated throughout India. 
A large annual climber, softly hairy, tendrils 2-fid. Leaves 
4-6in. diam,, cordate, reniform orbicular, more or less 5-lobed. 
