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{{Distinguish|Trichosanthes dioica|text=}}{{Short description|Species of vine}}
{{Italic title}}
{{Speciesbox
|name = Snake gourd
|image = Trichosanthes cucumerina var. anguina compose.jpg
|genus = Trichosanthes
|species = cucumerina
|authority = [[Carl Linnaeus|L.]]
|synonyms = *''Anguina cucumerina'' (L.) Kuntze
*''Cucumis anguinus'' (L.) L.
*''Involucraria anguina'' (L.) M.Roem.
*''Trichosanthes ambrozii'' Domin
*''Trichosanthes anguina'' L.
*''Trichosanthes brevibracteata'' Kundu
*''Trichosanthes colubrina'' J.Jacq.
*''Trichosanthes cucumerina'' var. ''anguina'' (L.) Haines
*''Trichosanthes pachyrrhachis'' Kundu
*''Trichosanthes pedatifolia'' Miq.
*''Trichosanthes petala'' Buch.-Ham. ex Wall.
|synonyms_ref = <ref name="corazonhalasan">[http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-2433288 The Plant List, ''Trichosanthes cucumerina'']</ref>
}}

'''''Trichosanthes cucumerina''''' is a [[tropical]] or [[Subtropics|subtropical]] [[vine]]. Its variety ''T. cucumerina'' var. ''anguina'' raised for its strikingly long [[fruit]]. In [[Asia]], it is eaten immature as a [[vegetable]] much like the summer squash and in [[Africa]], the reddish pulp of mature snake gourd is used as an economical substitute for [[tomato]].<ref>Kew Gardens. Snake gourd ''Trichosanthes cucumerina'' var. ''anguina''. http://www.kew.org/support-kew/adopt-a-seed/trichosanthes-cucumerina-var-anguina.htm</ref> Common names for the cultivated variety include '''snake gourd'''{{refn|group=note|name=snake gourd robinson|Robinson and Decker-Walters (1997<ref name="Robinson and Decker-Walters 1997">Robinson RW and DS Decker-Walters. 1997. Appendix: Common Cucurbit Names and their Scientific Equivalents. in: ''Cucurbits''. CAB International, USA.</ref>) p. 203-206: "Snake gourd" preferred name for ''Trichosanthes cucumerina'', and ''Trichosanthes cucumerina'' preferred definition for "snake gourd".}},<ref name="ushadevi" /> '''serpent gourd''',<ref name="ushadevi" /> '''chichinda'''<ref name="ushadevi" /> and '''padwal'''.<ref name="ushadevi">[http://www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/slides/Snake%20Gourd.html Flowers of India, snake gourd, ''Trichosanthes cucumerina'']</ref>

''Trichosanthes cucumerina'' is found in the wild across much of [[South Asia|South]] and [[Southeast Asia]], including [[India]], [[Bangladesh]], [[Nepal]], [[Pakistan]], [[Sri Lanka]], [[Indonesia]], [[Malaysia]], [[Myanmar]]([[Burma]]) and southern [[China]] ([[Guangxi]] and [[Yunnan]]).<ref name="annachang">[http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200022762 Flora of China v 19 p 38, ''Trichosanthes cucumerina'']</ref> It is also regarded as native in northern [[Australia]].<ref>[http://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/7381 Florabase, the Western Australia Flora, ''Trichosanthes cucumerina'']</ref><ref>Coopper, Wendy E., & Hugo J. DeBoer. 2011. A taxonomic revision of ''Trichosanthes'' L. (Cucurbitaceae) in Australia, including one new species from Northern Territory. Austrobaileya 8:364-386.</ref> and naturalized in [[Florida]],<ref>[http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=TRCU3 United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Plants Profile, ''Trichosanthes cucumerina'', snakegourd]</ref> parts of [[Africa]] and on various islands in the [[Indian Ocean|Indian]] and [[Pacific Ocean Islands|Pacific Oceans]].<ref name="mayaangelou">[http://database.prota.org/PROTAhtml/Trichosanthes%20cucumerina_En.htm Prota 2, Vegetables/Légumes, ''Trichosanthes cucumerina'' L.]</ref>

Formerly, the cultivated form was considered a distinct species, ''T. anguina'', but it is now generally regarded as [[conspecific]] with the wild populations, as they freely interbreed:<ref name="corazonhalasan"/>

* ''Trichosanthes cucumerina'' var. ''anguina'' (L.) Haines – cultivated variant
* ''Trichosanthes cucumerina'' var. ''cucumerina'' – wild variant

==Description==
[[File:Trichosanthes anguina.jpg|thumbnail|left|Plant diagram]]
''Trichosanthes cucumerina'' is a [[monoecious]] annual vine climbing by means of [[tendrils]]. Leaves are palmately lobed, up to 25 cm long. Flowers are unisexual, white, opening at night, with long branching hairs on the margins of the petals. These hairs are curled up in the daytime when the flower is closed, but unfurl at night to form a delicate lacy display (see photos in gallery below). Fruits can be up to 200 cm long, deep red at maturity, hanging below the vine.<ref name="corazonhalasan"/><ref name="ushadevi"/><ref name="annachang"/>

The related Japanese snake gourd (''[[Trichosanthes pilosa]],'' sometimes called ''T. ovigera'' or ''T. cucumeroides''), very similar in vegetative morphology, but the fruit of ''T. pilosa'' is round to egg-shaped, only about 7 cm long.<ref>[http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200022763 Flora of China v 19 p 45, ''Trichosanthes cucumeroides'']</ref>

==Uses==
The common name "snake gourd" refers to the narrow, twisted, elongated fruit. The soft-skinned immature fruit can reach up to {{convert|150|cm|in|abbr=on}} in length. It is soft, bland, somewhat [[mucilage|mucilaginous]] flesh is similar to that of the [[luffa]] and the [[calabash]]. It is popular in the cuisines of [[South Asia]] and [[Southeast Asia]] and is now grown in some home gardens in Africa. With some cultivars, the immature fruit has an unpleasant odor and a slightly bitter taste, both of which disappear in cooking. The fruit becomes too bitter to eat as it reaches maturity, but it does contain a reddish pulp that is used in Africa as a substitute for tomatoes.<ref name="mayaangelou"/><ref>[http://www.kew.org/news/kew-blogs/millennium-seed-bank/the-weird-and-wonderful-snake-gourd.htm Kew Gardens Millennium Seed Bank, the weird and wonderful snake gourd] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014070540/http://www.kew.org/news/kew-blogs/millennium-seed-bank/the-weird-and-wonderful-snake-gourd.htm |date=2013-10-14 }}</ref>
The [[shoot]]s, [[tendril]]s and [[leaf|leaves]] are also eaten as [[leaf vegetable|greens]].

==Gallery==
<gallery mode="packed" heights="160">
File:Trichosanthes cucumerina flower.jpg|The lace-like flower of ''T. cucumerina'' opens only after dark. Here, it is shown almost completely unfurled.
File:Trichosanthes cucumerina flower 1.jpg|In the process of unfurling its [[Glossary of botanical terms|fimbriate]] petals.
File:Trichosanthes cucumerina (snake gourd).jpg|An edible immature snake gourd.
File:ヘビウリの実.jpg|It twists and becomes orange-red while elongated and ripened.
File:Thichosanthes cucumerina, the snake gourds, variable fruit shapes and colors as seen in cultivation.jpg|Different maturity stages and shapes as seen in cultivation.
File:The flower of a type of bitter guard in hand.JPG|Flower and flower buds.
File:Snake gourd semilooper anadevidia peponis larvae.JPG|Snake gourd semilooper ''anadevidia peponis'' larva, a major pest of ''T. cucumerina''
File:Snake gourd freshly harvested.jpg|Freshly harvested snake gourd from India.
</gallery>

==See also==

* ''[[Trichosanthes kirilowii]]'', Chinese snake gourd{{refn|group=note|name=chinese snake gourd robinson|Robinson and Decker-Walters (1997<ref name="Robinson and Decker-Walters 1997" />) p. 203-206: "Chinese snake gourd" preferred name for ''[[Trichosanthes kirilowii]]'', and ''Trichosanthes kirilowii'' preferred definition for "chinese snake gourd".}}
* ''[[Trichosanthes ovigera]]'', Japanese snake gourd{{refn|group=note|name=japanese snake gourd robinson|Robinson and Decker-Walters (1997<ref name="Robinson and Decker-Walters 1997" />) p. 203-206: "Japanese snake gourd" preferred name for ''[[Trichosanthes ovigera]]'', and ''Trichosanthes ovigera'' preferred definition for "japanese snake gourd".}}
* ''[[Lagenaria siceraria]]'', some of its immature edible cultivars can be found as "snake gourds", not the preferred name.{{refn|group=note|name=lagenaria snake decker-walters|Decker-Walters (1996<ref>DS Decker-Walters (ed., 1996-2010) [http://cuke.hort.ncsu.edu/cucurbit/wehner/vegcult/grdlagenaria.html Vegetable Cultivar Descriptions for North America. Gourd - Lagenaria, Lists 1-26 Combined]. In: [http://cuke.hort.ncsu.edu/cucurbit/index.html Cucurbit Breeding. Horticultural Science].</ref>): "Gourd - ''Lagenaria''. (...) Longissima (Baton, Long Club, Italian Edible, Cucuzzi, Cucuzzi Caravazzi, Snake, Flute, Serpent) - Vendor: Vilmorin. Characteristics: similar to Hercules Club but longer, edible at 1' long x 2" diameter but will grow to 6' long; from Italy. Similar: Hercules Club. 1885"}}
* ''[[Trichosanthes dioica]]'', Pointed gourd or Parwal, also edible when immature.

==Notes==

{{Reflist|group="note"}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Trichosanthes cucumerina}}
* [http://medind.nic.in/ibi/t08/i3/ibit08i3p103.pdf Trichosanthes cucumerina Linn. improves glucose tolerance and tissue glycogen in non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus induced rats]

{{Taxonbar|from=Q1323731}}

[[Category:Trichosanthes|cucumerina]]
[[Category:Fruit vegetables]]
[[Category:Plants described in 1753]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus]]
[[Category:Flora of the Indian subcontinent]]
[[Category:Flora of Myanmar]]
[[Category:Flora of Malesia]]
[[Category:Flora of China]]
[[Category:Flora of Yunnan]]
[[Category:Flora of Guangxi]]
[[Category:Flora of Africa]]
[[Category:Rosids of Western Australia]]
[[Category:Flora of the Northern Territory]]
[[Category:Edible plants]]

Trichosanthes cucumerina - Revision history

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