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Useful Tropical Plants

Trichosanthes costata

Blume

Cucurbitaceae


Based on recent molecular phylogenetic data, the genus Gymnopetalum has recently been trasferred to the genus Trichosanthes - see De Boer, H. J. & M. Thulin. 2012. Synopsis of Trichosanthes (Cucurbitaceae) based on recent molecular phylogenetic data. PhytoKeys 12:29.

+ Synonyms

Bryonia cochinchinensis Lour.

Cucumis tubiflorus Roxb. ex Wight & Arn.

Euonymus chinensis Lour.

Gymnopetalum chinense (Lour.) Merr.

Gymnopetalum cochinchinense (Lour.) Kurz

Gymnopetalum heterophyllum Kurz

Gymnopetalum quinquelobatum Merr.

Gymnopetalum quinquelobum Miq.

Momordica spicata L. ex Sm.

Momordica surculata Noronha

Momordica tubiflora Roxb.

Scotanthus porteanus Naudin

Scotanthus tubiflorus Naudin

Trichosanthes fatoa Buch.-Ham.

Tripodanthera cochinchinensis (Lour.) M.Roem.

Common Name:

Trichosanthes costata

General Information

Trichosanthes costata is a perennial climbing plant with herbaceous stems up to 5 metres long. The stems scramble over the ground and grow into surrounding vegetation, attaching themselves by means of tendrils[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine.

Known Hazards

Eaten as a vegetable in Vietnam, the leave are used as a fish poison in Laos[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
The fruits are said to be very poisonous, though are also recorded as being used as a condiment and sweetmeat[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
,
999
Title
The Gardens' Bulletin Vol. 6
Publication
 
Author
 
Publisher
Singapore Botanic Gardens; Singapore
Year
1930
ISBN
 
Description
A botanical journal - this edition contains a list of the medicinal uses of plants in the region.
].

Botanical References

266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.

Range

E. Asia - China, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines

Habitat

Waste land, along roads and in secondary forests, usually at low elevations[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
]. Forests and thickets on mountain slopes; at elevations from 400 - 900 metres[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
].

Properties

Edibility Rating *
Medicinal Rating *  *
HabitPerennial Climber
Height4.00 m
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

The unripe, deseeded fruits are candied or used as condiment[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
]. The fruit is a red, ovoid to oblongoid berry, 50mm long and 23mm wide, containing numerous seeds[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

The leaves are used as a vegetable[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Medicinal

Medicinally the leaves are used against rheumatism and tetanus, and to cure ophthalmia[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

A decoction of the leaves is used to treat tetanus that has followed a miscarriage[
999
Title
The Gardens' Bulletin Vol. 6
Publication
 
Author
 
Publisher
Singapore Botanic Gardens; Singapore
Year
1930
ISBN
 
Description
A botanical journal - this edition contains a list of the medicinal uses of plants in the region.
]. The decoction is also used as an antidote to poisoning from eating the fruit[
555
Title
Medicinal Plants of Asia and the Pacific
Publication
 
Author
Wiart C.
Publisher
CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group; Florida.
Year
2006
ISBN
0-8493-7245-3
Description
An excellent look at a range of plants, in particular focussing on the active principles that could be responsible for the medical activities.
,
999
Title
The Gardens' Bulletin Vol. 6
Publication
 
Author
 
Publisher
Singapore Botanic Gardens; Singapore
Year
1930
ISBN
 
Description
A botanical journal - this edition contains a list of the medicinal uses of plants in the region.
].
The juice squeezed from the leaves is dropped into the eyes as a treatment for ophthalmia[
555
Title
Medicinal Plants of Asia and the Pacific
Publication
 
Author
Wiart C.
Publisher
CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group; Florida.
Year
2006
ISBN
0-8493-7245-3
Description
An excellent look at a range of plants, in particular focussing on the active principles that could be responsible for the medical activities.
,
999
Title
The Gardens' Bulletin Vol. 6
Publication
 
Author
 
Publisher
Singapore Botanic Gardens; Singapore
Year
1930
ISBN
 
Description
A botanical journal - this edition contains a list of the medicinal uses of plants in the region.
].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-29. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Trichosanthes+costata>

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