N. 0. 0nanRUTTA0E/E. 
mi 
Vnr. ( 1 ) momordim, Ttovb. 700 . 
Sans. : — ErvAni. 
Vcrn. : — Phut or plvunt (ripe); Knchra (when unripe) ; Tuti 
(H.) ; Phuti (B.) ; Kakari-kai (Tam.) ; Pedda-kai,* Pedda-dosrai 
(Tel.). 
An annual herb, cultivated. Stem scabrous. Leaves round- 
ish cordate, sometimes 5-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 Eoxb. 701 . 
V evil.: — Kakri, (H.) Kakur (B.) ; Kukri (Kangra) ; Dosray, 
Veil iri, Kakkarik (Tam.) ; Kakadi (Bomb.) ; Ivdkdi (Dec.) ; 
Tflrkakdi (Pooua). 
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. Leuves broadcordate, generally more or less five-lobed ; lobes rounded, 
tootliletted ; above pretty smooth, below scabrous, the largest generally about 
C inches each way. Floral leaves of the female flowers sessile, and very 
small. Male flowers axilliary, peduncled, crowded, but opening jn 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). 
