Family: Cucurbitaceae
Synonym:Momordica cylindrica L.
Bengali/Vernacular name: Dhundal, (Bengali); Chinal (Noakhali).
Tribal name: Myong-chun (Chak), Powgul (Tanchangya), Phorul (Chakma), Sw-bwoe-shi (Marma), Ui-tha (Murang), Thumpong (Pangkhoa), Mree-u-sthei (Rakhaing), Fwr dalok (Tripura).
English name: Sponge gourd, Smooth luffa.
Description of the plant: A large climber, with 2-4-fid tendrils. Leaves orbicular-reniform 10-20 cm long, palmately 5-(rarely 7- ) lobed, both surfaces finely scabrous. Male flowers in axillary 10-20 flowered racemes, petals yellow, spreading. Female flowers solitary, yellow, axillary.Fruit 12-30 cm long, cylindric, blunt at the end, marked with longitudinal lines.
Plant parts used: Leaf, fruit, seed.
Herbal uses: Leaf juice is used for the treatment of skin disease.
A fresh juice extracted from the leaves of the plant is taken for the treatment of bronchitis.
Seeds have been used in the treatment of asthma, sinusitis, and fever.
Fruits of the plant are used for the treatment of jaundice, biliary and intestinal colitis, syphilis, tumours, splenomegaly, toothache, smallpox, haemorrhoids, and leprosy.
Tincture of seed oil isused for the treatment ofvarious skin diseases.
A paste made with the leaves of the plant is applied to the boils once a day for five days to treat carbuncle.
Distribution: The species is cultivated throughout the country.
Is this plant misidentified? If yes, please tell us….
