Trichosanthes ovigera Bl., Bijdr. 934 1826. (syn: Anguina ovigera (Bl.) Kuntze; Trichosanthes chingiana Hand.-Mazz.; Trichosanthes hearnii F. Muell. ex Benth.; Trichosanthes himalensis C. B. Clarke; Trichosanthes himalensis var. indivisa Chakr.; Trichosanthes himalensis var. sikkimensis (Kundu) Thothathri; Trichosanthes ovigera var. sikkimensis Kundu; Trichosanthes rostrata Kitam.);
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Tropical Asia to NE Queensland, Vanuatu: Andaman Is., Assam, Bangladesh, Borneo, East Himalaya, Jawa, Myanmar, Nepal, New Guinea, Queensland, Vanuatu, Vietnam, West Himalaya as per POWO;
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C.B.Clarke ; leaves palmately 3-lobed deeply cor¬date villous or pubescent beneath, bracts lanceolate incise-serrate, fruit 3-4 in. long-cylindric tapering at both ends. T. cordata, Wall. Cat. 6686 B. Cucurbita ficifolia, Wall. Cat. 6721.
SIKKIM, alt. 2000-5000 ft. from Yoksun to the plains ; J. D. H., C.B.Clarke.
Stems extensively climbing, with the petioles and leaves pubescent and hairy. Dioecious. Leaves 5 in., usually deeply palmate, irregularly serrate ; tendrils 3-fid. Male peduncles 3-4 in., bracts 1/2-3/4 in. Calyx-tube 1.1/2-2 in., very narrow, little hairy without. Fruit 3-4 by 1-1.1/4 in., nearly circular in section. Seeds 1/4-1/3 in. diam., polymorphous, sometimes obovoid the broader part subtrimerous, sometimes drum-shaped.—Certain seeds were sent by Dr. Anderson to Naudin, who grew them and has placed the resulting leaves in the Kew Herbarium accompanied by a drawing of the seed, and has attached the name Platygonia himalensis thereto. These leaves may belong to the present species.
(Attributions- IBIS Flora (FBI))
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References: POWO Catalogue of Life The Plant List Ver.1.1 GBIF– specimen (High resolution specimens) Flora of China Checklist of Nepal India Biodiversity Portal IBIS Flora (FBI) Biotik Kerala plants Wikipedia PFAF Wikimedia Commons Useful Tropical Plants
