苦瓜

植物簡介

A monoecious, herbaceous annual. It is a climber and has a twining growth form and climbs with the aid of tendrils. The leaves are simple, palmately veined with a lobed and crenate margin and are alternately arranged along the stem. The flowers are solitary and yellow. The fruit is a pepo and is ovate-elliptical to elongate-fusiform. Chinese varieties are densely covered in warty bumps, while Indian varieties tend to be spikey. The immature fruit is green with white seeds. The fruit turns orange when mature and splits open from top down to reveal bright red seeds.