Trichosanthes

Trichosanthes
Trichosanthes
Trichosanthes tricuspidata
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Cucurbitales
Family: Cucurbitaceae
Subfamily: Cucurbitoideae
Tribe: Trichosantheae
Subtribe: Trichosanthinae
Genus: Trichosanthes
L.
Species

See text.
Synonyms

Anguina Mill.
Cucumeroides Gaertn.
Eopepon Naudin
Involucraria Ser.
Platygonia Naudin

Trichosanthes is a genus of tropical and subtropical vines. They belong to the cucumber family (Cucurbitaceae), and are closely related to Gymnopetalum. Hodgsonia, formerly included here, is usually considered a well-distinct genus nowadays.

The shoots, tendrils, and leaves of some or possibly all species may be eaten as greens, and at least two species (Serpent Gourd, T. cucumerina, and Point Gourd, T. dioica) are grown commerically for their fleshy fruits used as vegetables, most popular in South Asia and Southeast Asia. At least two species (T. kirilowii and T. rosthornii) are grown for use in traditional Chinese medicine, where they are called the name gualou (Chinese: 瓜蒌; pinyin: guālóu). Trichosanthes is also known as a medicinal as well as poisonous plant in India, and has been helpful for asthma patients.

Selected species

  • Trichosanthes baviensis Gagnepain
  • Trichosanthes cucumerina – Serpent Gourd, Padwal; karasuuri[烏瓜] (Japanese); dhunduli (Assamese); chichinga/chichinge (Bengali); paduvalakaayi (Kannada); padavalanga (Malayalam); purla (Sambalpuri); pathola (Sinhala); pudalankaai (Tamil); potlakaaya (Telugu)
    • Trichosanthes cucumerina var. anguina – Snake Gourd
  • Trichosanthes dioica – Point Gourd, parwal (Hindi), potol (eastern India)
  • Trichosanthes dunniana Levl.
  • Trichosanthes fissibracteata C.Y.Wu ex C.Y.Cheng & Yueh
  • Trichosanthes globosa Blume
  • Trichosanthes homophylla Hayata
  • Trichosanthes kerrii Craib
  • Trichosanthes kinabaluensis Rugayah
  • Trichosanthes kirilowii – "gualou" (China) (= T. japonica)
  • Trichosanthes laceribractea Hayata
  • Trichosanthes lepiniana (Nuad.) Cogn.
  • Trichosanthes montana Rugayah
  • Trichosanthes ovigera Blume (= T. cucumeroides, T. himalensis)
  • Trichosanthes pedata Merr. & Chun
  • Trichosanthes pendula Rugayah
  • Trichosanthes pentaphylla F.Muell. ex Benth.
  • Trichosanthes postarii W.J.de Wilde & Duyfjes
  • Trichosanthes quinquangulata A.Gray
  • Trichosanthes reticulinervis C.Y.Wu ex S.K.Chen
  • Trichosanthes rosthornii Harms – "gualou" (China) (= T. uniflora)
  • Trichosanthes rubiflos Thorel ex Cayla
  • Trichosanthes rugatisemina C.Y.Cheng & Yueh
  • Trichosanthes schlechteri Cogn. ex Harms
  • Trichosanthes sericeifolia C.Y.Cheng & Yueh
  • Trichosanthes subrosea C.Y.Cheng & Yueh
  • Trichosanthes subvelutina F.Muell. ex Cogn.
  • Trichosanthes tricuspidata Lour. (= T. bracteata, T. palmata)
  • Trichosanthes truncata C.B.Clarke
  • Trichosanthes villosa Blume
  • Trichosanthes wallichiana (Ser.) Wight

In addition, several hybrids are known in this genus.

Formerly placed in Trichosanthes were for example Kedrostis foetidissima and Linnaeosicyos amara.

External links


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