Plant World: Plant World:Bitter melon

Bitter Gourd
(Momordica charantia)
Momordica charantia called bitter melon or bitter gourd in English,is a Tropical and subtropical vine of the family,Cucurbitaceae, widely grown in Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean for its edible fruit, which is among the most bitter of all fruits;the red fresh surrounding the seed is actually not bitter and can be eaten raw.May have a little sweet taste.I call them "ruby seeds of the bitter melon."I often put the seeds on my salad to decorate it(with the fresh on it).very slippery with a little jelly substance.I often think of this as a fruit not a vegetable.And so few people even know that a ripe bitter melon's ruby red flesh is good to eat.It is also RICH in IRON which promotes blood health. There are many varieties that differ substantially in the shape and bitterness of the fruit.
This is a plant of the tropics, but its original native range is unknown.It is believe that the bitter gourd's fruit
is designed for birds to eat.
Click and See this image to see which parts
I eat(100% NOT BITTER!!!)

Flower Bulbs

Images:

Ripe bitter melon(open)

Bitter melon opened by birds

More ripe bitter melon images:

White bitter melon-ripe

Bitter melon when it isn't ripe

Other members of this family:

Indian bitter melon(spiky and the most bitter

of all bitter melons(except the fresh)

Balsam Apple

(Momordica balsamina )

Momordica foetida

Momordica foetida is a perennial climbing vine native of tropical Africa, closely related to the bitter melon (M. charantia) and balsam apple (M. balsamina). Its species name ("bad-smelling") refers to its unpleasant smell.