Marong (Trichosanthes scabra)

Marong or gymnopetalum (Trichosanthes scabra) is a species of plant in Cucurbitaceae, herbs grow on the surface, lots of sun, green-yellow stems and white solid hair, no branching tendrils, round or egg-shaped fruits and ripe red.

T. scabra has a leaf stalk for a length of 1.1-2.5 cm and a diameter of 0.2-0.5 mm. The leaves are circular in shape, wide, five shallow lobes, basal heart, rounded or somewhat tapered ends and toothed edges. The upper surface is bumpy, rough and has short hair, while the lower surface has dense and long hair.

Single male flower, solitary and 6-7 mm long. Persistent stalk, 30-70 mm long, hypantium-shaped, narrowed down and gray-haired. The triangular petals are wide and 4-5 mm long. Round egg crown, stamens in hypantium tubes, filament length 2-2.5 mm and bald.

Solitary female flowers, 25 mm stem length, round fruit candidates, long hair, cylindrical hypantium tubes, white crowns and 15 mm long. Pistils have a length of 7-10 mm, head upright with a length of 2 mm.

Spherical or egg-shaped fruits, 3-5 cm long, 2-3 cm in diameter, 4.5 cm long stems, 0.8 mm in diameter, short-haired, patterned in green and light green forming lines, orange-red when ripe, fleshy, seeds brown and protected by the placenta.

Marong grows in a place with lots of sun, roadside and near a river. Flowering and fruiting throughout the year. The stems are brewed to improve appetite and increase stamina, the leaves are used as rheumatic medicine.

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Cucurbitales
Family: Cucurbitaceae
Genus: Trichosanthes
Species: Trichosanthes scabra

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