OF THE CAROLINAS & GEORGIA

Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Rosids: Fabids: Cucurbitales

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Momordica charantia ssp. charantia   FAMILY Cucurbitaceae   Go to FSUS key



INCLUDED WITHIN PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Momordica charantia   FAMILY Cucurbitaceae

INCLUDED WITHIN Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)

Momordica charantia

SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 6 (2015)

Momordica charantia ssp. charantia

INCLUDED WITHIN Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)

Momordica charantia

INCLUDED WITHIN Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)

Momordica charantia

 

COMMON NAME:
Balsam-pear, Balsam-apple, Bitter Melon


         To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.

image of Momordica charantia ssp. charantia, Balsam-pear, Balsam-apple, Bitter Melon

Patrick D. McMillan    pdmmcharantia_sebring1

June    Polk County    FL

Leaf blade suborbiculate-orbiculate, deeply palmately 5-7 lobed, base cordate, per Flora of North America.

image of Momordica charantia ssp. charantia, Balsam-pear, Balsam-apple, Bitter Melon

Patrick D. McMillan    pdmmcharantia_sebring1b

June    Polk County    FL

The five petals bright yellow, obovate to oblong-obovate, per Flora of North America.

image of Momordica charantia ssp. charantia, Balsam-pear, Balsam-apple, Bitter Melon

Patrick D. McMillan    pdmmcharantia_sebring4

June    Polk County    FL

 

 

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Momordica charantia ssp. charantia   FAMILY Cucurbitaceae

INCLUDED WITHIN PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Momordica charantia   FAMILY Cucurbitaceae

INCLUDED WITHIN Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Momordica charantia

SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 6
Momordica charantia ssp. charantia

INCLUDED WITHIN Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)
Momordica charantia

INCLUDED WITHIN Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Momordica charantia

 

Find by SCIENTIFIC NAME:

2702

Climbing herbaceous vine (with tendrils)
Annual
Monoecious

Habitat: Disturbed areas, roadsides, fence-rows, per Weakley's Flora

Non-native: Africa

Waif(s)

map
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.

Click here to see a map showing all occurrences known to SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria. (Zoom in to see more detail.)

LEAVES:
Simple
Alternate

FLOWER:
Spring/Summer/Fall
Yellow
Slightly bilaterally symmetrical
5-lobed rotate or broadly campanulate corolla
3 stamens (rarely 2)
Inferior ovary
Unisexual

FRUIT:
Berry

 

TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!



 


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