Chinese name: Rat Melon

Latin name: Melothria indica Lour

Door: Angiosperm phylum

Family: Cucurbitaceae

Genus: Equus

Distribution area: visible in southern China, near Guangzhou

1. Morphology of rat-pulled wax gourd

Rat-pulled wax gourd is a perennial herbaceous vine, one to two meters in length, with tendril-like parts on its body. The root part swells into a string of spindle-shaped tuberous roots with the same size, so it has the name of rat-pulled wax gourd. It is rich in starch, so it is also used as soil pollen. Stems slender, delicate. Simple leaves alternate, with slender stalks; leaves ovate-triangular, membranous. White flowers in summer. The fruit is oval or nearly elliptical, 1 to 2 cm long, orange-yellow, with a very thin peel and many flat seeds inside. Annual climbing or prostrate herb, slender stems and branches. Leaf membranous, polymorphic, triangular-ovate, ovate-cordate or halberd-shaped, undivided or 3 to 5 divided, apex acute or sparsely acuminate, base curved and rounded.

2. Medicinal use of Rat Melon

Rat Melon is sweet, bitter and cool. It can clear heat and detoxify, reduce swelling and disperse knots. For sore throat, conjunctivitis; external use to treat sore, swollen toxin, lymph node tuberculosis, orchitis, skin eczema. Usage and dosage: 3 to 5 money; appropriate amount for external use, smashed fresh roots and leaves and applied to the affected area. Indications are as follows: ① Carbuncle furuncle, eczema: smash fresh roots and leaves for external application; or grind dry roots and apply to the affected area. ② Sore throat: use the root 5 money to 1 tael, decoct in water; or smash the fresh product for external application. ③Urinary tract infection, urinary tract calculi, acute conjunctivitis, chancre in children: use 5 to 1 liang of root, decoct in water. ④ Rat bites: drink 3-4 taels mixed with water; good effect is found on the scratches outside the slag.

3. Planting of rat-laden wax gourd

Put the pots up as soon as possible. After the seeds germinate and grow two true leaves, they should be potted into a large pot. The root system of the rat-pulled wax gourd grows very quickly. If it is transplanted too late, it may damage the root system. The bigger the pot, the more soil. To plant one, I used a large pot with an inner diameter of 30cm and a depth of 20cm. At first I thought it was too big, but after the gourd rose wildly, the roots grew to the soil surface. Pinch as early as possible. Maybe I was reluctant to pinch the tip at first, I waited for 8 leaves to pinch for the first time, and then it was 5 leaves once. As a result, it grew wildly all the way, and the female flower was on the top, so I had to climb on the chair every day for pollination. alley. Fertilize and water frequently. I basically apply liquid fertilizer every 15 days without interruption. Water every other day in spring, and 500ml of water every day in summer. The longer the leaves grew, the more they blocked each other. After a while, I found out that whitefly had grown, and it took a lot of tossing to get rid of it.

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