Coccinia grandis (L.) Voigt
Common Name: ivy gourd
Family: Cucurbitaceae
Genus: Coccinia
Species: grandis
Malayalam Name: Koval
Tamil Name: Kovai
Description: It is a perennial tedril climber
Leaves: Alternate, simple, and broadly ovate, with 5 lobes, and 5–10 cm across
Flowers: White, bell-shaped with 5 ovate, acuminate lobes
Fruit: An ovoid to ellipsoid berry and bright red when ripe
Stems: Green and herbaceous when young, and turn woody with age
Roots: Tuberous
Tendrils: Simple and axillary
Uses
Food: The young leaves and shoots are edible and can be prepared by boiling, blanching, or frying. The young fruits can be used in curries and soups, or eaten raw in salads. The fruits can also be fermented or dehydrated into chips.
Medicine: It has been used in traditional medicine for centuries. It has been used to treat diabetes, skin diseases, bronchitis, asthma, epilepsy, and more. In Unani medicine, it has been used to treat ringworm, psoriasis, scabies, and smallpox.
© 2025 Sree Ayyappa College for Women. All Right Reserved.Designed & Developed by Innov Touch Technologies Pvt Ltd.
