Systematic Studies on the Family of Eastern ,

M. Ajmal Ali and Arun K. Pandey Systematics Research Centre, Department of Botany, T. M. Bhagalpur University, Bhagalpur, Bihar, 812007 India (Email: [email protected])

In India, the family Cucurbitaceae is Benincasa, , , , represented by 36 genera and 100 species , Diplocyclos, Lagenaria, , (2). Cucurbitaceae are a major family Melothria, Momordica, and . among economically important The genera Benincasa, Coccinia, domesticated species, particularly those with Diplocyclos, and Lagenaria were edible including (Cucumis represented by one species each. Citrullus, sativus), (), Melothria, Momordica and Cucumis (Citrullus lanatus), squash and pumpkin included two species, whereas Cucurbita (Cucurbita spp.), bitter melon (Momordica and Trichosanthes included three species charantia), chayote (Sechium edule), loofah each. The genus Luffa was the largest genus (Luffa spp.), bottle (Lagenaria represented by four species. It is evident siceraria), snake gourd (Trichosanthes from the study that the species collected cucumerina var. anguina) and during field surveys are found in all the (Benincasa hispida). Some of these districts of Eastern Bihar except a few represent the earliest cultivated . Some species which are confined to a particular have medicinal and other uses. Those with district. Luffa echinata and Melothria hard- shelled fruits, particularly Lagenaria, heterophylla are confined to Katihar, have been used to manufacture containers are confined to and musical instruments since ancient times. Kishnaganj, Luffa hermaphrodita and Trichosanthes tricuspidata are confined to Bihar lies between 24°20’10’’ N to Bhagalpur and Melothria maderspatana is 27°31’15” N and 83°19’50” E to 88°17’40” confined to Purnia. E. Its boundaries touch in the North , the SState of Jharkhand in the South, the Cucurbitaceae in Eastern Bihar include both State of West in the East, and the wild and cultivated taxa. The wild species State of in the West. Bihar collected during this study were Coccinia State covers an area of 99,200 km2 and is grandis, Cucumis melo var. agrestis, divided into 38 districts. In Bihar, the river Diplocyclos palmatus, Luffa echinata, Ganga flows from West to East. The Melothria maderspatana, M. heterophylla, Gangetic plain, created by the Ganga and its , and T. tributaries Kosi, Sone, Gandak, etc., forms tricuspidata. Cultivated species were: almost a flat alluvial plain except for the Benincasa hispida, Citrullus colocynthis, C. Himalayan foot hills and the tarai regions in lanatus, , Cucumis melo, the extreme northwest. The eastern Bihar var. momordica, C. melo. var utillissimus, consists of 7 districts viz., Bhagalpur, Cucumis sativus, Cucurbita maxima, C. Purnia, Katihar, Saharsa, Madhepura, Araria moschata, C. pepo, Lagenaria siceraria, and Kishanganj. The rich vegetation and Luffa acutangula, L. cylindrica, L. diversity of Bihar have attracted the hermaphrodita, , M. attention of a number of explorers and dioica, T. cucumerina var. anguina, and T. botanists during history (1). dioica. The cultivated taxa (Benincasa For this study, a total number of 11 genera hispida, Coccinia grandis, Cucurbita and 24 species were collected from different maxima, C. moschata, C. pepo, Lagenaria areas is Eastern Bihar. The genera included siceraria, Luffa acutangula, L. cylindrica, L.

66 Cucurbit Genetics Cooperative Report 28-29: 66-69 (2005-2006) hermaphrodita, Momordica charantia, M. round, 1.5-2.0 cm deep round on both dioica, T. cucumerina var. anguina, and T. surfaces in . The tendril dioica.) are mainly grown in “diara” bifid in Citrullus lanatus, Cucurbita pepo, regions. Citrullus lanatus, Cucumis melo, Diplocyclos palmatus; 3-fid in var. momordica, C. melo. var utillissimus, C. Trichosanthes tricuspidata, Luffa sativus are cultivated for their edible fruits. acutangula, L. cylindrica; 2-6 fid in Luffa hermaphrodita is cultivated mainly in Cucurbita maxima; 2-3 fid in T. cucumerina Bhagalpur district. Cucumis melo var. var. anguina, T. cucumerina, many fids in agrestis, found growing in a wild condition Cucurbita moschata. The shape of tendril in all the districts of eastern Bihar, is sold in varies from slender to filiform. The male the market as a crop. flowers fasiculate in Cucumis melo, C. sativus, Melothria maderspatana; solitary in Cucurbits are also used in the indigenous Momordica charantia, M. dioica, Cucurbita system of medicine. Lagenaria siceraria, moschata; racemose or paniculata; either Trichosanthes dioica, T. cucumerina, T. solitary, robust in Trichosanthes cucumerina cucumerina var. anguina, and Benincasa var. anguina; few to many - flowered in hispida are rich in protein and vitamin C. Melothria heterophylla; 5-12 flowered in Each and every part of pointed gourd has Luffa echinata; 15-20 flowered in Luffa high nutritional value. The roots contain cylindrica; 17-20 flowered at the apex in amorphous saponin. Species of Momordica Luffa acutangula. The female flower is are used in diabetes. The seeds of Citrullus solitary in Cucurbita maxima, C. moschata, lanatus are used as cooling medicine. Root, Trichosanthes cucumerina var. anguina, T. stem, and of Coccinia grandis are dioica, T. tricuspidata, solitary, solitary or used in indigenous medicine against skin fasciculate in Cucumis sativus; solitary or diseases. Fruits of are eaten when sub fasciculate in Melothria maderspatana; ripe and are also used in chronic eczema. solitary or with axillary male flowers in Bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria), ribbed Melothria heterophylla. The ovoid in gourd (Luffa acutangula), white gourd Momordica dioica, Luffa echinata, (Benincasa hispida), cucumber (Cucumis Benincasa hispida; ovoid, conical tappering sativus), and pointed gourd (Trichosanthes at both ends with a long sharp beak in dioica) are some of the most common Trichosanthes cucumerina; oblong in (3). Melothria heterophylla; oblong, glaborous in Cucumis sativus; oblong, glabrous, Plants included in the study are extensive smooth in Trichosanthes dioica; oblong- climbers, generally monoecious. The stem ellipsoidal, angular, smooth, compressed varies from slender to robust, sulcate, leaves inconspicuously winged in Luffa are cordate to acute or, upper surface of the hermaphrodita; oblong, muricate- lamina is 3- lobed, lobes obtuse in tuberculate, trivalved in Momordica Diplocyclos palmatus; 3-7 lobed in charantia; oblong, constricted at the middle Trichosanthes tricuspidata; shortly trilobed in Cucurbita moschata; oblong-clavate, or angular or apex acute or shortly angular, acutely 10-angled in Luffa acuminate, basal sinus broad, deep in acutangula; globose in Diplocyclos Lagenaria siceraria; 5-lobed in palmatus; globose, slightly depressed in Trichosanthes cucumerina var. anguina; Citrullus colocynthis; globose, smooth, deeply 5-lobed or obscurely 5-angled, apex echinate in Melothria maderspatana; round in Luffa echinata; 5-7 lobed in globose, glabrous, ellipsoid in Trichosanthes Trichosanthes cucumerina var. anguina; tricuspidata; subglobose or ellipsoid in terminal lobe acute, others round in Citrullus lanatus; fusiform, obtuse in Luffa Citrullus lanatus; entire to palmately lobed cylindrica; cylindric often twisted/coiled in in Coccinia grandis; basal lobes narrow Trichosanthes cucumerina var. anguina;

Cucurbit Genetics Cooperative Report 28-29: 66-69 (2005-2006) 67 subglabrous, round at both ends in Coccinia Cucurbita maxima; March to December in grandis; polymorphous in Cucumis melo; Cucurbita moschata; July to October in variable in shape in Cucurbita pepo; Cucurbita pepo; July to May in Lagenaria variously shaped in Lagenaria siceraria, siceraria; June to October in Luffa dehiscent at apex in Momordica charantia. acutangula; June to December in Luffa The seeds are oblong in Citrullus lanatus, cylindrica; September to January in Luffa Coccinia grandis, Cucumis melo, C. sativus, echinata; August to November in Luffa oblong, corrugated, finely rugulose; hermaphrodita; June to March in Melothria undulate in Trichosanthes cucumerina var. heterophylla; July to December in Melothria anguina; Luffa acutangula, L. cylindrica, maderspatana; June to October in Cucurbita maxima; ovate- oblong in Momordica charantia; June to October in Citrullus colocynthis, ovate-oblong, Momordica dioica, Trichosanthes undulate, truncate or slightly in cucumerina; May to August in Trichosanthes cucumerina; ovate, beaked in Trichosanthes cucumerina var. anguina; Luffa hermaphrodita; ovate, broad, attenuate March to September in Trichosanthes in Diplocyclos palmatus; ovate, slightly dioica; and June to November in verrucosa in Luffa echinata; broadly or Trichosanthes tricuspidata. narrowly ovate in Cucurbita moschata, C. pepo; obovate-oblong or triangular in Coccinia grandis is one of the most Lagenaria siceraria; ovoid in Benincasa common cucurbitaceous plants found hispida. The spermoderm pattern varies throughout the State, spreading or climbing, from rugulate to retico-rugulate in the family rather vigorously on bushes, trees, walls and Cucurbitaceae. The majority of the taxa old buildings. Cucumis melo var. agrestis is show rugulate pattern of spermoderm viz., common in waste places and cultivated Benincasa hispida, Cucumis melo var. fields. Diplocyclos palmatus are common in momordica, C. melo var. utillissimus, C. waste places, Ganga banks, road side sativus Citrullus colocynthis, Cucurbita bushes, trees and hedges. The species is maxima, C. moschata, C. pepo Lagenaria conspicuous in the field due to bunches of siceraria, Luffa acutangula, Trichosanthes globose, green or red, white striped fruits. cucumerina, T. cucumerina var. anguina, T. Trichosanthes cucumerina is common tricuspidata, Momordica charantia,. The during the rainy season on walls, old spermoderm pattern varies from retico- buildings, wayside bushes and trees. rugulate (Citrullus lanatus, Coccinia grandis); reticulate (Cucumis melo var. Luffa hermaphrodita is cultivated agrestis, Diplocyclos palmatus, Luffa throughout Bihar during the rainy season. echinata, L. hermaphrodita Melothria However, cultivars vary in their fruit heterophylla, M. maderspatana, morphology (shape, size, number of fruits Momordica dioica, Trichosanthes dioica) to per inflorescence). One peculiar feature tuberculate (Luffa cylindrica). observed was that the number of female flowers in an inflorescence varies from 4-15 Flowering and fruiting were observed and all the ovaries do not develop into fruits. throughout the year in Coccinia grandis; During our survey we have found that from June to October in Benincasa hispida; cultivars of L. hermaphrodita bear seven November to January in Citrullus fruits in each inflorescence and this appears colocynthis; March to July in Citrullus to be a constant feature of the cultivars. On lanatus; July to September in C. melo var. the basis of development of seven fruits per momordica; March to June in C. melo var. inflorescences, L. hermaphrodita is locally utilissimus; May to October in Cucumis known as “Satputia” meaning seven melo var. agrestis; March to October in children. In L. cylindrica usually two Cucumis sativus; March to August in different cultivars are being grown by the

68 Cucurbit Genetics Cooperative Report 28-29: 66-69 (2005-2006) local farmers. One has dark green fruits and Literature Cited: other has light green fruits. In the former, the seeds are grey whereas in latter the seeds 1. Ali, M. A. 2006. Taxonomic studies on are ash coloured. The shape and size of the the family Cucurbitaceae of eastern fruits are more or less similar. L. acutangula Bihar. Ph. D. thesis. TMB University is also under cultivation. The cultivars can Bhagalpur (India). be distinguishable on the basis of their fruit 2. Chakravarty, H. L. 1982. Fascicle Flora morphology. The uniform character of all of India. Fascicle II Cucurbitaceae. B. S. the cultivars is ridged fruits. L. acutangula is I. Calcutta. grows in the wild. The fruits are no doubt 3. Kritikar, K. and B. D. Basu. 1975. angular in the beginning but as the fruits Indian Medicinal Plants. Vol. II., pp. attain maturity, their angular nature slowly 1006-1115. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal disappears and fruit becomes shorter in singh, Dehra Dun (Repr. Ed.). length. It has been observed that fruits of 4. Pandey, A. K. 1997. and some cultivars become bitter in taste. L. conservation of diversity in the genus echinata, a wild species, is confined to Trichosanthes (Cucurbitaceae). Rheedea North Bihar especially in Purnea and 7 (2): 145-146. Katihar district. The genus Trichosanthes exhibits diversity at specific and infraspecific levels. This diversity needs to be conserved especially in T. dioica where varieties are known only under cultivation. Farmers prefer certain cultivars for large scale cultivation. Germplasm of less preferred varieties may vanish forever if conservation measures are not taken immediately (4).

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