Common name: Indrayan • Hindi: Mahakal, इन्द्रायन Indrayan • Marathi: कौंडल Kaundal • Tamil: Ankorattai, Korattai • Malayalam: Kakkattonti • Telugu: Avaduta • Kannada: Avaguda-hannu, Kagemari Balli • Gujarati: Ratanindrayan • Sanskrit: Kakanasa, श्वेतपुष्पी Shvetpushpi, Dhvamksanasa
Botanical name: Trichosanthes tricuspidata Family: Cucurbitaceae (Pumpkin family)
Synonyms: Trichosanthes palmata, Trichosanthes bracteata, Modecca bracteata
Indrayan is a large climber, 5-20 m long. It has strong, woody and grooved
stem, with trailing branches. Tendrils are divided into 2-3 parts. Leaves,
6-12 cm across, are broadly heart-shaped, but palmately 3-5 lobed. The leaf
margin is toothed. Flowers occur either singly or in 5-10 flowered racemes,
in leaf axils. Sepal cup is tubular, 3-4 cm long. Flowers 4-5 cm, white, with
5 wedge-shaped petals with frilly margins. Fruit is spherical, 4-5 cm across,
red when ripe, streaked with 10 orange streaks. Flowering: May-April.
Identification credit: Narendra Joshi
| Photographed at Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra. |
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