Bitter melon (Momordica charantia)

Bitter melon (Momordica charantia) is a plant species in Cucurbitaceae, grows climbing or spreads with spiral-shaped tendrils, many branches, long fruit and jagged surface, grows well in tropical regions and is usually cultivated for vegetables and medicinal ingredients.

M. charantia has green stems with white hairs. Single leaf stemmed and arranged alternately, length 3.5-8.5 cm, width 4 cm, divided into 5-7 fins with many bones, heart-shaped base, green, wrinkled surface and jagged margins.



A single flower has a stalk, male and female flowers in the tree, the crown has five fins and is yellow. The fruit is long oval shaped, has 8-10 linear ribs, irregular nodules, 6-30 cm long depending on subspecies and varieties, bitter taste, young green, ripe to orange and broken with three parts.

Grows wild on abandoned soil, moor or is cultivated and planted in the yard by being spread on the fence to harvest fruit. This plant does not need too much sunlight and can flourish in shady places. Seed is taken from ripe fruit.

TAXON

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Cucurbitales
Family: Cucurbitaceae
Tribe: Momordiceae
Genus: Momordica L. in Sp. Pl.: 1009 (1753)
Species: Momordica charantia L. in Sp. Pl.: 1009 (1753)
Subspecies: Momordica charantia subsp. charantia, Momordica charantia subsp. macroloba Ach.-Dako & Blattner

PUBLICATIONS

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VERNACULAR NAME

Angami: Kariela
Arabic: بطيخ مر
Assamese: Karela
Bengali: করলা Karala
Bunun: Tangkuipais
Burmese: ကြက်ဟင်းခါးပင်
Chinese (simplified): 凉瓜 - 癞瓜 - 苦瓜
Chinese (traditional): 苦瓜 - 金玲子
Danish: Karela
English: Bitter melon, Bitter cucumber, Bitter gourd, Bitter squash, Balsam pear, Cerasee
Finnish: Karvaskurkku
French: Margose, Melon amer, Momordique
German: Bittergurke, Bittermelone
Guangdong: 苦瓜
Gujarati: Karelu
Hindi: करेला - करेली - कथिल्ला - पोरारू Karela, Kareli, Kathilla, Poraru
Hong Kong: 苦瓜
Indonesia: Pare, Peria
Japanese: ゴーヤ - ツルレイシ - ニガウリ
Java: Pare, Paria, Pare pait, Pepareh.
Kannada: Haagalakai, Haagalakaay
Konkani: Kaaraate
Korean: 여주
Lithuanian: Raukšlėtasis svaidenis
Macao: 苦瓜
Malayalam: Kaippakka, Kattukayya, Paval, Pavakkai, Pantipavel, Undapaval, Kaippanpaval, Erimappasai, Erimapasel, Erumpavel, Kattuppavel, Kattupadavalam, Machippavel, Undapaval, Vempaval, Vennpavel, Kayppa, Pavaykka
Manipuri: Karon akhabi
Marathi: Karale, Ambalem, Karali, Kareti
Mizo: Changkha
Nepali: टिटे करेला - करेला - करेलो Tite Karela, Karela, Karelo
Nusa Tenggara: Paya, Truwuk, Paitap, Paliak, Pariak, Pania, Pepule
Oria: Kalara, Kolera
Oriya: Changkha
Palauan: Markosong
Portuguese: Melão-de-são-caetano
Russian: Момордика харанция
Sanskrit: Karavallaka, Kaarvellakah, Kathillah, Paraaru, Sushavi, Urdhvaasitah
Santali: ᱠᱟᱨᱞᱟ
Sinhala: කරවිල
Slovak: Momordika horká
Spanish: Balsamina, Cundeamor, Pepino cimarrón
Sulawesi: Poya, Pudu, Pentu, Paria belenggede, Palia
Sumatra: Prieu, Fori, Pepare, Kambeh, Paria
Tagalog: Ampalaya
Taiwan: 苦瓜
Tamil: பாஹர்காய் - பகல் - பாகற்காய் - இராச-வள்ளி - பாகக்காய் Paaharkaai, Pakal, Pakarkai, Iraca-valli, Pagakkai
Telugu: Kakorra, Kakara
Thai: มะระ
Turkish: Kudret narı
Ukrainian: Момордика харанція
Urdu: کریلا Karela
Venda: Lubavhe, Lugulusekene,Nngutshiphaswi, Tshibavhe

Aryo Bandoro
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