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Bitter Snake Gourd
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Bitter Snake Gourd
ative Photo: Narendra Joshi
Common name: Bitter Snake Gourd, Redball Snake Gourd • Apatani: Bullung Koa • Assamese: ইন্দ্ৰায়ণ Indrayan, কোৱাভাতুৰী Kowabhaturi, মহাকাল Mahakal • Bengali: মাকাল Makal, লাল ইন্দ্রায়ন Lal Indrayan • Galo: Sojar-Momar • Garhwali: इलारु Ilaru • Gujarati: મહાકાલ Mahakal, રાતા ઈન્દ્રાંમણા Rata Indramana • Hindi: लाल इंद्रायन Lal Indrayan, पातालकोहड़ा Patalkohra • Kannada: ಅವಗೂದೆ Avagoode, ಕಾಗೆಮಾರೆ ಬಳ್ಳಿ Kaagemaare Balli, ಕಾಗೆಮೋರೆ Kaagemore, ಕಾಕಿಮಂಡಲಿ Kaakimandali • Khasi: U-Soh-Lyn-Shang • Kokborok: Makal • Kol: कौबुटकी Kaubutki • Konkani: कौंडळ Koundal, मुकाल Mukal • Kumaoni: इलारु Ilaru, इंदराइन Indarain • Malayalam: കാക്കത്തൊണ്ടി Kaakkathondi • Marathi: कवंडळ Kavandal, मुकाल Mukal • Maring: Umkha • Mizo: Choâka ûm • Nepali: इन्द्रेणी Indrenee • Nyishi: Rikay, Yappen • Odia: କିମ୍ପାକ Kimpaka, ମହାକାଳ Mahakala, ମହେନ୍ଦ୍ର ବାରୁଣୀ Mahendra Baruni, ମକିର୍ଲା Makirla, ସୌମ୍ଯା Saumya, ଶଲରା Salara • Pahari: बिम्बेल Bimbel • Rajasthani: बडी आंखफोड Badi Ankhphod • Sanskrit: आत्मरक्षा Atmaraksha, किम्पाक Kimpaka, महाकाल Mahakala, वेग Vega • Tagin: Yappen • Tamil: குறட்டை Kurattai • Telugu: అబూద తీగ Aabuda Teega, అవ్వదూత Avvadootha, అవగూద Avvagooda, అవ్వపండు Avvapandu, కాకి దొండ Kaaki Donda, పాపర Paapara • Tulu: ಕಾಕ್ಕೆಮನೊಳಿ Kakkemanoli, ಕಾಕ್ಕತೊಂಡಿ Kakkathondi Source: Names of Plants in India
Botanical name: Trichosanthes bracteata    Family: Cucurbitaceae (Pumpkin family)
Synonyms: Trichosanthes palmata, Trichosanthes hupehensis, Modecca bracteata
Bitter Snake Gourd is a large climber, 5-20 m long. It has strong, woody and grooved stem, with trailing branches. Tendrils are divided into 2-3 parts. Leaves, 6-12 cm across, are broadly heart-shaped, but palmately 3-5 lobed. The leaf margin is toothed. Flowers occur either singly or in 5-10 flowered racemes, in leaf axils. Sepal cup is tubular, 3-4 cm long. Flowers 4-5 cm, white, with 5 wedge-shaped petals with frilly margins. Fruit is spherical, 4-5 cm across, red when ripe, streaked with 10 orange streaks. Flowering: May-April.
Identification credit: Sautik Ghoshal, Narendra Joshi Photographed at Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra.
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