苦瓜Momordica charantia Linn.

别名：balsampear;菩达;红姑娘;红羊;锦荔枝;苦瓜藤;苦瓜叶;癞葡萄;癞瓜;凉瓜;苦瓜七;锦荔子;麻环;

科名：葫芦科 Cucurbitaceae

属名：苦瓜属 Momordica

《中国植物志》第73(1)卷189页
  1. 苦瓜（救荒本草）凉瓜（广州），癞葡萄（江苏）
  Momordica charantia Linn., Sp. pl. ed. 1: 1009. 1753; Lour., Fl. Cochinch. 589. 1790; C. B. Clarke in Hook. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 2: 616. 1879; Cogn. in DC., Mon. Phan. 3: 436. 1881; Forbes et Hemsl. in Journ. Linn. Soc. Bot. 23: 315. 1887; Cogn. u. Harms in Engl., Pflanzenr. 38 (IV. 275. 2): 24. 1924; Chakr. in Rec. Bot. Surv. Ind. 17 (1): 88. 1959; Keraudren in Aubreville et Leroy, FIl. Cambodge Laos Vietnam 15: 42. 1975. 中国高等植物图鉴4: 359, 图6131. 1975.——Momordica indica Linn. in Stickm. Herb. Amb. 24. 1754. ——M. chinensis Spreng. in Bull. Soc. Tosc. Ort. 18: 14, f. 4. 1893. ——M. sinensis Spreng. l. c. ——Sicyos fauriei Levl. in Fedde, Rep. Sp. Nov. 10: 150. 1911. ——Cucumis argyi Levl. in Mem. Acad. Ci Art. Barcel. Ser. 3, 12: 548. 1916.
  一年生攀援状柔弱草本，多分枝；茎、枝被柔毛。卷须纤细，长达20厘米，具微柔毛，不分歧。叶柄细，初时被白色柔毛，后变近无毛，长4-6厘米；叶片轮廓卵状肾形或近圆形，膜质，长、宽均为4-12厘米，上面绿色，背面淡绿色，脉上密被明显的微柔毛，其余毛较稀疏，5-7深裂，裂片卵状长圆形，边缘具粗齿或有不规则小裂片，先端多半钝圆形稀急尖，基部弯缺半圆形，叶脉掌状。雌雄同株。雄花：单生叶腋，花梗纤细，被微柔毛，长3-7厘米，中部或下部具1苞片；苞片绿色，肾形或圆形，全缘，稍有缘毛，两面被疏柔毛，长、宽均5-15毫米；花萼裂片卵状披针形，被白色柔毛，长4-6毫米，宽2-3毫米，急尖；花冠黄色，裂片倒卵形，先端钝，急尖或微凹，长1.5-2厘米，宽0.8-1.2厘米，被柔毛；雄蕊3，离生，药室2回折曲。雌花：单生，花梗被微柔毛，长10-12厘米，基部常具1苞片；子房纺锤形，密生瘤状突起，柱头3，膨大，2裂。果实纺锤形或圆柱形，多瘤皱，长10-20厘米，成熟后橙黄色，由顶端3瓣裂。种子多数，长圆形，具红色假种皮，两端各具3小齿，两面有刻纹，长1.5-2厘米，宽1-1.5厘米。花、果期5-10月。
  广泛栽培于世界热带到温带地区。我国南北均普遍栽培。
  本种果味甘苦，主作蔬菜，也可糖渍；成熟果肉和假种皮也可食用；根、藤及果实入药，有清热解毒的功效。

《Flora of China》 Vol. 19 (2011)
Momordica charantia  Linnaeus Sp. Pl. 2: 1009. 1753.
苦瓜   ku gua
Cucumis argyi H. Léveillé; Momordica chinensis Sprengel; M. indica Linnaeus; M. sinensis Sprengel; Sicyos fauriei H. Léveillé.
Plants annual, scandent, many branched; stem and branches pubescent. Tendrils to 20 cm, puberulent, simple. Petiole slender, 4-6 cm, white pubescent at first, glabrescent; leaf blade ovate-reniform or suborbicular, 4-12 × 4-12 cm, membranous, puberulent on veins, 5-7-partite; lobes ovate-oblong, veins palmate, margin crenate or irregularly lobed, apex obtuse or acute; sinus semicircular. Plants monoecious. Male flowers solitary in axils of leaves; pedicel slender, 3-7 cm, puberulent, with a median bract; bract reniform or orbicular, 5-15 mm, entire, both surfaces puberulent; calyx segments ovate-lanceolate, 4-6 × 2-3 mm, white pubescent, apex acute; corolla yellow; segments obovate, 15-20 × 8-12 mm, pubescent, obtuse or retuse; stamens 3, free; anther cells conduplicate. Female flowers solitary; pedicel 10-12 cm, with a bract at base; ovary fusiform, densely verrucose; stigmas expanded, 2-lobed. Fruit orange when mature, fusiform or cylindric, 10-20 cm, verrucose, 3-valved from apex. Seeds numerous, oblong, 15-20 × 10-15 cm. Fl. and fr. May-Oct.
Commonly cultivated in China [pantropical, also cultivated in temperate and tropical regions].
The fruit is used as a vegetable; all parts of the plant are used medicinally.The fruit is used as a vegetable; all parts of the plant are used medicinally.

《全国中草药汇编》:苦瓜

【拼音名】 Kǔ Guā
【别名】 癞瓜
【来源】 葫芦科苦瓜属植物苦瓜Momordica charantia L.，以瓜、根、藤及叶入药。夏季采集，分别处理，晒干。
【性味】 瓜、根、叶：苦，凉。
【功能主治】 清热解毒。用于中暑发热，牙痛，肠炎，痢疾，便血；外用治痱子，疔疮疖肿。
【用法用量】 瓜、根、平：2～3两；外用适量，捣烂敷或搽患处。
【摘录】 《全国中草药汇编》