Akakara (Telugu: ఆకాకర)

Cucurbitaceae (pumpkin, or gourd family) » Momordica dioica

 

mo-MOR-di-ka -- from the word to bite, reference to the seeds which look bitten

dy-oh-EE-kuh -- male and female flowers on separate plants

 

commonly known as: bristly balsam-pear, prickly carolaho, spine gourd, teasle gourd • Assamese: avandhya, bhat-kerela • Bengali: bhat korola, ghee korola, kankrol • Gujarati: katwal • Hindi: बन करेला ban karela • Kannada: karchi-balli, madahagala gadde • Konkani: फागिल phagil • Malayalam: ben-pavel, erimapasel • Marathi: करटोली or कार्टोली kartoli • Rajasthani: bara -karela, kankera, kankoda • Sanskrit: कर्कोटकी karkotaki, कर्कोटी karkoti • Tamil: மெழுகுபாகல் meluku-pakal, பழுபாகல் palu-pakal • Telugu: అడవికాకర adavikakara, ఆకాకర akakara

 

Native to: south-east Asia

 

 

References: Flowers of India • Dave's Garden • M.M.P.N.D. • Flowers of Sahyadri by Shrikant Ingalhalikar

 

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