Momordica
- noun
- /məˈmɔrdɪkə/
- Specialized
- The Momordica genus includes the widely cultivated bitter melon.
Examples
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The Momordica genus includes the widely cultivated bitter melon.
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Many traditional medicines use extracts from plants of the Momordica genus.
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Botanists studied the growth patterns of Momordica in tropical environments.
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I grew a Momordica plant in my garden.
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The Momordica fruit is known for its bitter taste.
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Many traditional medicines use extracts from plants of the Momordica genus.
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Botanists studied the growth patterns of Momordica in tropical environments.
Compounds
- Specialized
A tropical climbing vine with bright orange or red bumpy fruit called balsam apple
- Specialized
A tropical vine that makes a bitter yellow-orange fruit called bitter melon
Surface Forms
Etymology
Momordica comes from the Latin momordicus, from mordeo which means 'to bite', because the plant's leaves and fruit often look as if they have been 'bitten' or have jagged edges, so the name fits this group of tropical vine plants like bitter melon.