Trichosanthes


A Fruit of Trichosanthes cucumeroides


Plant Characteristics
Habit   vine-climber
Cultivation
Scientific Names

Cucurbitaceae >

Trichosanthes >


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Trichosanthes is a genus of tropical and subtropical vines.

The shoots, tendrils, and leaves of some or possibly all species may be eaten as greens, and at least two species are raised for their fleshy fruits used as vegetables, most popular in South Asia and Southeast Asia.


Read about Trichosanthes in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture 

Trichosanthes (Greek, hair and flower, alluding to the fringed edge of the petals). Cucurbitaceae. Snake Gourd. Climbing herbs, annual or perennial, sometimes shrubby at base, roots sometimes tuberous, grown both in the greenhouse and outdoors as tender annuals.

Leaves entire or 3-5-lobed, base cordate; tendrils simple or 2-3-cleft: fls. rather large or small, white, monoecious; male fls. racemose, calyx-tube oblong or cylindrical, dilated above, 5-lobed, corolla rotate, 5-parted; stamens 3, ovary rudimentary; female fls., calyx and corolla as in male, stamens rudimentary or none; ovary oblong or globose: fr. usually large, fleshy, globose, oblong, ovoid-fusiform, or conical.—About 50 species, Trop. Asia, N. Austral, and Polynesia. Monographed in DC. Monogr. The fr. is often ornamental and highly colored; in T. Anguina it has been noted over 6 ft. in length. The plants flower in July from seed sown in March. They may be treated as tender annuals. CH


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Cultivation

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Propagation

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Pests and diseases

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Species

  • T. kirilowii Maxim
  • T. rosthornii Harms
  • T. anguina
  • T. baviensis Gagnepain
  • T. cucumeroides (Ser.) Maxim. (see right figure)
  • T. dioica (Bengali: potol, green vegetable)
  • T. dunniana Levl.
  • T. fissibracteata C.Y. Wu ex C.Y. Cheng & Yueh
  • T. homophylla Hayata
  • T. kerrii Craib
  • T. laceribractea Hayata
  • T. lepiniana (Nuad.) Cogn.
  • T. ovigera Blume
  • T. pedata Merr. & Chun
  • T. quinquangulata A. Gray
  • T. rubiflos Thorel ex Cayla
  • T. rugatisemina C.Y. Cheng et Yueh
  • T. sericeifolia C.Y. Cheng et Yueh
  • T. subrosea C.Y. Cheng et Yueh
  • T. subvelutina F.Muell. ex Cogn.
  • T. tricuspidata Lour.
  • T. truncata C.B. Clarke
  • T. villosa Blume
  • T. wallichiana (Ser.) Wight

Gallery

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References

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