*Momordica charantia * L.
- *mo-MOR-di-ka* -- from the word to bite, reference to the seeds which look bitten *char-AN-tee-a* -- a pre-Linnean name, used as the specific epithet of *Momordica charantia* ... Dave's Botanary<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fdavesgarden.com%2Fguides%2Fbotanary%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFrqEzf-XnKALJLi4ZvWhItDcjW2mcyZrg> [image: Haagalakaayi (Kannada: ಹಾಗಲಕಾಯಿ)]<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fdinesh_valke%2F6781775067%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFrqEzd3ChsSh8NiQBhj4s_gKHsZVCD08A> Jan 28, 2012 ... cultivated on Prabal Machi near Panvel, Maharashtra *commonly known as*: balsam pear, bitter gourd • *Assamese*: কেৰেলা karela • *Bengali*: করলা karala • *Gujarati*: કારેલું karelu • *Hindi*: करेला karela, कठिल्ल kathilla, परारु poraru • *Kannada*: ಹಾಗಲಕಾಯಿ haagalakaayi • * Kashmiri*: करेल् karel • *Konkani*: काराते kaaraate • *Lushai*: chang-kha • *Malayalam*: കയ്പ്പ kayppa, പാവയ്ക്ക pavaykka • *Manipuri*: কারোন অখাবী karon akhabi • *Marathi*: आंबलें ambalem, कारली karali, कारेती kareti • * Mizo*: changkha • *Nepalese*: अमला amala, करेलो karelo • *Oriya*: changkha • *Punjabi*: ਕਰੇਲਾ karela • *Sanskrit*: कारवेल्लकः kaarvellakah, कटिल्लः kathillah, परारु paraaru, सुषवी sushavi, ऊर्ध्वासितः urdhvaasitah • *Sindhi*: ڪَريلو karelo • *Tamil*: இராசவள்ளி iraca-valli, பாகற்காய் pagakkai • *Telugu *: కాకర kakara • *Tibetan*: su sa ba • *Tulu*: ಕಂಚಲ kanchala • *Urdu*: کريلا karela *Native to*: tropics of Africa and Asia; naturalized and cultivated elsewhere *References*: Flowers of India<http://www,flowersofindia.in/catalog/slides/Bitter%20Gourd.html>• Wikipedia<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FBitter_melon&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFrqEzeg8QSKyv0Gz5JO-FIJae96woc36A>• NPGS / GRIN<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ars-grin.gov%2Fcgi-bin%2Fnpgs%2Fhtml%2Ftaxon.pl%3F24520&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFrqEze5fb0M2djhkV2JuTyX-6Scuz5qcw>• ENVIS - FRLHT<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fenvis.frlht.org%2Fplant_details.php%3Fdisp_id%3D1448&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFrqEze8r3H2L0BSkj82r5OB444TGzBmdQ>• DDSA<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fdsal.uchicago.edu%2Fdictionaries%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFrqEzf6uenyoQ09XSR__kqQB9oTVQ4dNQ> *more views*: - Jan 28, 2012 ... cultivated on Prabal Machi near Panvel, Maharashtra [image: Iraca-valli (Tamil: இராசவள்ளி)]<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fdinesh_valke%2F6781771169%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFrqEzdgXKRYLTDdowlMjPNGRRLTJxXWtw> - Sep 25, 2010 ... at base village of Sarasgad fort, Maharashtra [image: Karela (Hindi: करेला)]<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fdinesh_valke%2F5025725710%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFrqEzfMIlzzRCZsU6UTGzXX-cLKNWolfA> [image: Kaarali (Marathi: कारली)]<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fdinesh_valke%2F5025109349%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFrqEzceFPSHcaAMHCfl08nKSCx2zkIkFA> [image: Momordica charantia]<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fdinesh_valke%2F5025110027%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFrqEzfn1Q33e0eqHfeor_hKVwbZrGpYHA> [image: Kaaraate (Konkani: काराते)]<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fdinesh_valke%2F5025108399%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFrqEzeT8AohyCVSQQhoNsk3YlzxrbouHw> Regards. Dinesh
