Kakrol, Spiny gourd, Momordica dioica

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Kakrol or Spiny gourd (Momordica dioica, family: Cucurbitaceae) is a perennial, dioecious, climbing creeper, originated from Indo-Malayan region and gradually found in East Asia, Polynesia, tropical Africa and South America.


Common names: Kakrol, Spiny gourd, Teasel gourd, Bristly Balsam Pear, prickly carolaho.


The yellowish and oval-shaped fruits have soft prickle. Seeds are egg-shaped, emarginate.
  

Leaves are petioled, 4-8 cm long and 3-6 cm wide, broadly ovate, base cordate, margin denticulate, apex acute.


Flowers are single, axillary, whitish, yellow at the centre. Momordica dioica is used as a vegetable in Bangladesh, India, as well as South Asian countries. The climber has tuberous roots and simple tendrils.
It is used in the treatment of hypertension, diabetes and  to relieve pain.

Comments

  1. nikos_tJune 17, 2016 at 11:42 AM

    i've bought a green fruit!
    can i propagate it by it's seeds or its' going to be imature?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mohammad AliJune 17, 2016 at 11:17 PM

    Thanks nikos for your comment. As far as i know, propagation is possible by mature fruit-seeds.

    ReplyDelete
  3. SandyOctober 18, 2016 at 8:51 AM

    Where can I get seeds for this plant? Will someone ship it to USA if I payed for it?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Mohammad AliNovember 15, 2016 at 1:44 PM

    Thanx for ur comment... that will be very tough!

    ReplyDelete

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