Cucurbitaceae · Trichosanthes

Snake Gourd / Wild Snake Gourd

Trichosanthes cucumerina

Also known as Malabar Patola

ClimberoutdoorMedicinal
Habit
Climber
Found in India
Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat & more
Flowering
June-May

Plant Details

Scientific name
Trichosanthes cucumerina
Genus
Trichosanthes
Habit
Climber
Habitat
Margins of semi-evergreen and moist deciduous forests, also in the plains
Habitat type
Forest
Distribution
India, Sri Lanka, Tropical Himalayas, Malaysia, Polynesia, Australia, Bangladesh, Myanmar
Found in India
Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Bihar, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Chandigarh, Delhi, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Telangana
Flowering & fruiting
June-May
Conservation status
Not Evaluated (NE)

Leaf characters

Lobed leaf margin
Leaf margin
LobedrecordedThe edge is divided into rounded or pointed sections that don't reach the midrib.Leaves are palmately lobed, up to 25 cm long. — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Typical of the family

Arrangement
Alternate
Simple type leaf character
Type
Simple
Palmate venation leaf character
Venation
Palmate

Characters marked “recorded” are for Snake Gourd itself; the rest are typical of the Cucurbitaceae family.

Flower & fruit characters

Flower colour
Whiterecorded

Typical of the family

Inflorescence
Solitary
Fruit
Berry

Characters marked “recorded” are for Snake Gourd itself; the rest are typical of the Cucurbitaceae family — flowering plants only.

Local Names

Hindi
चिचिड़ा
Nepali
चिचिण्डो
Bengali
চিচিঙ্গা, কইডা
Tamil
புடோல், புடலங்காய், புடலை
Telugu
పొట్ల కాయ, పొట్ల, పొట్లకాయ
Kannada
ಪಡುವಲಕಾಯಿ
Malayalam
പടവലങ്ങ, Snake gourd, പടവലം
Marathi
पडवळ, ट्रायकोसँथेस अँग्विना

About Snake Gourd

Wild Snake Gourd (Trichosanthes cucumerina) belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family, where it grows as a climber. In India it has been recorded in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat and 19 other states. It grows in margins of semi-evergreen and moist deciduous forests, also in the plains. Flowering and fruiting run from June to May.

Uses

Locally it is grown for parts that are eaten.

Illustration representing the Cucurbitaceae family
Botanical family

Cucurbitaceae

Cucumber/Gourd family

Snake Gourd belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family.

The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.

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Common plant problems

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