Snake gourd
Family Cucurbitaceae
Trichosanthes cucumerina, the snake gourd (T. cucumerina 1), is a monoecious climbing annual herb with an angled stem and large 5-7 lobed leaves. The white flowers, about 5 cm across, are borne axillary; the male ones in racemes, the female ones solitary. The fruits are very slender, up to 150 cm long, green with white stripes.
Distribution
The snake gourd grows wild from India to Australia, and is cultivated in India and the Far East.
Use
The unripe fruits (T. cucumerina 2) are eaten as a boiled vegetable.