English: Snake gourd.

Vern.: Chichinda.

S. NAZIMUDDIN AND S. SHAHARYAR H. NAQVI

A climbing herb. Stem slender, puberulous. Leaves cordate-subreniform, distantly denticulate, petiolate, densely pubescent to sparsely hairy, 10-15 x 12-18 cm , deeply or shallowly (3-) 5-(7-)-lobed. Tendrils sulcate, puberulous, 2-3-fid. Male flowers: peduncle puberulous, 10-25 cm long, 8-15-flowered. Calyx-tube 2.5-3 cm long, lobes reflexed, c. 2 mm petals oblong 3-nerved. Ovary narrowly fusiform. Fruit elongate cylindrical, twisted, longitudinally striped white. Seeds oblong, rugulose, 15-17 mm long, with undulate margins.

Lectotype: Trichosanthes pomis teretibus oblongis incurves L., Hort. Cliff.: 451 (1738) (Jeffrey 1980).

Distribution: Cultivated throughout India and Pakistan (Punjab and Kashmir).

The fruits are used as vegetable.