Other conspecific taxa:

• Momordica charantia subsp. charantia (0 accessions)
• Momordica charantia subsp. macroloba (0 accessions)

Synonyms:

• (=) Momordica charantia var. abbreviata Ser.
• (=) Momordica muricata Willd.
• (=) Momordica zeylanica Mill.

Common names:

• balsam-apple  (Source: WorldWeeds) - English
• balsam-pear  (Source: Dict Econ Pl) - English
• bitter gourd  (Source: Hortus 3) - English
• bitter-cucumber  (Source: Hortus 3) - English
• bitter-melon  (Source: CRC MedHerbs ed2) - English
• carilla gourd  (Source: Biol Cucurb) - English
• concombre africain  (Source: Use Pl WT Afr) - French
• margose  (Source: Dict Rehm) - French
• momordique  (Source: Dict Rehm) - French
• paroka  (Source: Pl Res SEAs) - French
• amerikanische Bittergurke  (Source: Zander Ency) - German
• Balsambirne  (Source: Dict Rehm) - German
• Bittergurke  (Source: Dict Rehm) - German
• karela  (Source: Names Watson) - India
• paria  (Source: Pl Res SEAs) - Indonesian
• peria  (Source: Pl Res SEAs) - Malay
• balsamito  (Source: Dict Rehm) - Spanish
• bálsamo  (Source: Dict Rehm) - Spanish
• cundeamor  (Source: Dict Rehm) - Spanish
• bittergurka  (Source: Kulturvaxtdatabas) - Swedish
• ku gua  (Source: F China) - Transcribed Chinese
• yeoju  (Source: F Korea) - Transcribed Korean

Economic Importance:

• Harmful organism host: crop diseases (fide WorldWeeds 478. 1997)
• Harmful organism host: crop pests (fide WorldWeeds 478. 1997)
• Human food: vegetable (fruits eaten or pickled when young fide Biol Cucurb 329. 1990; Hamdard 38:93. 1995)
• Medicines: folklore (fide Pl Res SEAs 12(1):357. 1999; CRC MedHerbs ed2; Herbs Commerce ed2; Hamdard 38:93. 1995)
• Vertebrate poisons: mammals (fide Kingsbury; Lampe & McCann)
• Weed: potential seed contaminant (fide Weed CIBA)

Distributional Range:

Native

Africa

• EAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda
• WEST-CENTRAL TROPICAL AFRICA: Burundi, Cameroon, Gabon, Rwanda, Zaire
• WEST TROPICAL AFRICA: Benin, Cote D'Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone
• SOUTH TROPICAL AFRICA: Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe
• WESTERN INDIAN OCEAN: Madagascar

Asia-Tropical

• INDIAN SUBCONTINENT: India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
• PAPUASIA: Papua New Guinea
• INDO-CHINA: Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam
• MALESIA: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines

Australasia

• AUSTRALIA: Australia [Queensland]

Pacific

• SOUTH-CENTRAL PACIFIC: French Polynesia
• SOUTHWESTERN PACIFIC: Fiji


Cultivated (widely cult.)

Naturalized

Northern America

• SOUTHEASTERN U.S.A.: United States [Florida, Louisiana]
• SOUTH-CENTRAL U.S.A.: United States [Texas (s.e.)]
• Mexico

Pacific

• NORTH-CENTRAL PACIFIC: United States [Hawaii]

Southern America

• CARIBBEAN: Bahamas, Barbados, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Montserrat, Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and Grenadines, Virgin Islands (British), Virgin Islands (U.S.)
• CENTRAL AMERICA: Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama
• NORTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela
• BRAZIL: Brazil
• WESTERN SOUTH AMERICA: Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru
• SOUTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Argentina, Paraguay

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Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN-Taxonomy).
National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. URL: http://germoplasma.iniaf.gob.bo/gringlobal/taxonomydetail.aspx?id=24520. Accessed 7 junio 2026.