English: Sponge gourd.

Vern.: Jhinga, Kali tori.

S. NAZIMUDDIN AND S. SHAHARYAR H. NAQVI

Annual, climber with mostly 3-fid subscabrous tendrils. Stem 5-angled, scabrous along ribs. Leaves pale green, roundish, palmately 5-7-lobed, 15-20 cm across, glabrous; petiole 8-12 cm long. Probracts fleshy with 3-10, glistening glands on upper surface, 3-7 mm long, 2-4 mm broad. Flowers pale yellow, pedicellate, c. 4.5 cm across. Male raceme 10-15 cm long, erect, axillary 10-20-flowered, female flowers solitary in same axil as males. Calyx tube pentagonal, slightly hairy, lobes equal to slightly longer than tube. Petals obcordate, c. 2 cm long, 2-2.5 cm broad, emarginate or not. Stamens 3, filaments c. 4 mm long. Ovary 10-angled. Fruit (10-) 15-30 (-45) cm long, 6-10 cm in diameter, acutely 10-angled. Seeds black, 10-12 mm long, 6-8 mm broad, rugose, emarginate.

Fl. Per.: Warm season.

Neotype: 115217 (LINN) Jeffrey, l.c.

Distribution: Pakistan (Sind and Punjab), cultivated widely, e.g. in China, Australia, Russia, India, Tropical Africa, Mascarene Isles and Tropical America.

The tender fruits are used as vegetable.