Trichosanthes dioica

Roxb.

Pointed gourd, Wild snake gourd

Cucurbitaceae Edible: Leaves, Fruit, Vegetable 21 iNaturalist observations

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Summary

Trichosanthes dioica, also known as pointed gourd, is a tropical perennial cucurbit plant with its origin in the Indian subcontinent. The plant propagated vegetatively and grows with training on a support system (e.g., trellis) as pencil-thick vines (creepers) with dark-green cordate (heart-shaped) simple leaves. It is a well-developed dioecious plants having distinct male and female flowers on staminate and pistillate plants, respectively. The fruits are green with white or no stripes' and have unpalatable seeds. Size can vary from small and round to thick and long – 5–15 centimetres (2–6 inches). It thrives well under a hot to moderately warm and humid climate. The plant remains dormant during the winter season and prefers fertile, well-drained sandy loam soil due to its susceptibility to water-logging.

Description

A pumpkin family plant. It is a climber. It is a herb. The stems are slender and angled. They have soft hairs. The tendrils are divided 2-4 times. The leaves have stalks. The leaves are 5-10 cm long. They are oval or heart shaped. There are teeth along the edge. Leaves are rigid and rough on both surfaces. Flowers are of one sex and white. The fruit are oblong or pointed on both sides. They are orange-red when ripe. They are 10 cm long and 5 cm wide. Seeds are slightly compressed.

Edible Uses

Young fruits are cooked as vegetables and used in curries, fried, pickled, and added to stews and confectionery. The leaves are eaten as a vegetable in soups and stews. It is a commercially cultivated vegetable.

Traditional Uses

The young fruit are cooked as a vegetable. They are used in curries. They are also fried, pickled and used in stews. They are also used in confectionary and pickled. The leaves are eaten as a vegetable. They are used in soups and stews.

Medicinal Uses

The juice of the fruits and leaves are used in traditional medicine.

Distribution

A tropical plant. It grows in tropical India. It suits a warm humid climate. It is common in NE India. In Nepal it grows to 600 m altitude. The soil needs to be well drained.

Where It Grows

Andamans, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Myanmar, Nepal, Northeastern India, Pakistan, Polynesia, SE Asia, Sikkim, Sri Lanka,

Cultivation

Plants are grown from seed. It is often grown by stem cuttings. Pieces 60 cm long are taken from male and female plants. They are planted out of the nursery after 90 days.

Propagation

Seed - sow in situ. Cuttings of shoots about 60cm long, inserted 15cm into the soil.

Other Uses

A drying oil is obtained from the seed.

Other Information

It is a commercially cultivated vegetable.

Nutrition

Part	Moisture	kJ	kcal	Protein	Vit A	Vit C	Iron	Zinc
Fruit	92	—	—	2	—	362.5	—	—

Also Known As

Chathail, Duli ao, Jangli patal, Kaadu-padavala, Koitbach, Kombu-pudalai, Kommupotla, Kundru, Palwal, Parvar, Parwal, Parwar, Patal, Patol, Patolam, Phodol, Potol, Putulika, Tandoori, Tindola

References (30)

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Arora, R. K., 2014, Diversity in Underutilized Plant Species - An Asia-Pacific Perspective. Bioversity International. p 51
Chunduri, J. R., 2013, Antioxidant and nutritional analysis of edible Cucurbitaceae vegetables of India. International Journal of Bioassays. 02(08) 1124-1129

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