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August 13, 2007 : Momordica charantia hybrid
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Keywords: Cucurbitaceae | Momordica charantia hybrid | Alemany Farmer's Market, San Francisco, California, USA
I couldn't resist highlighting a photograph (original via BPotD Flickr Group Pool) from the recent additions to Eric in SF@Flickr's From the Earth photo set – if you're a fan of colour and patterns, the photographs are a must-see. Thanks once again, Eric!
As Eric points out, the Wikipedia entry on bitter melon is a good starting point to learn more about this widely-grown vegetable, as it describes the plant, highlights the culinary and medicinal uses and provides common names in two dozen languages. From the common names, it is easily inferred that it is cultivated pantropically (though African common names are absent). Flora Zambesiaca, though not providing any African common names, provides the best scientific description of the plant, though: Momordica charantia.
An image search for Momordica charantia reveals a diversity of form for this vegetable (and this stamp with an illustration of the ripe fruit from the Cucurbit Network). I think the hybrid in today's photograph is one of the Indian cultivars. As always, though, I'm open to being corrected.
If you're going to search for more information on bitter melon, you'll find the search engine results cluttered with various medicinal claims, particularly in regard to diabetes. Do note that in Bitter melon (Momordica charantia): A review of efficacy and safety, Basch et al. conclude “Bitter melon may have hypoglycemic effects, but data are not sufficient to recommend its use in the absence of careful supervision and monitoring” (American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy. 60(4):356-359).
Entomology / art resource link: Trichopterae, “an unusual artistic collaboration between the French artist Hubert Duprat and a group of caddis fly larvae” in Cabinet Magazine.
Posted by Daniel Mosquin at August 13, 2007 6:55 AM
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Comments
Posted by: fotrristi at August 13, 2007 8:57 AM
Gorgeous photo.
Posted by: van at August 13, 2007 9:01 AM
Daniel - you're quite welcome!
Through a fairly long internal dialogue/thought process, I got a new pocket digital camera and one of the first places I wanted to try it out was all the local and regional farmer's markets. There will be lots more coming as the harvest kicks in and we start seeing more and more things.
Posted by: Eric in SF at August 13, 2007 9:54 AM
Well, now - I am curious about that. What made you get the new camera? Tired of lugging the big camera around? I noted the new camera (believe it or not) on the file data. I've been considering doing the very same thing myself, so I'm wondering what prompted the decision (and are you happy with it?). Quality seems excellent.
Posted by: Daniel Mosquin 
at August 13, 2007 10:17 AM
You asked for it! Here goes! =)
My dSLR, the D80, takes great shots - I've been extremely happy with it since I got it.
Three problems with it:
#1 I currently have no wide-angle lens, and the one I want is $1200.
#2 Carrying a "big" camera closes doors to photography, at least in a crowded urban city. People see a "professional" camera and they change their behaviour or even ask me to not take photos.
#3 Like many others, the added weight of a dSLR makes me not want to carry it with me all the time.
I had an existing pocket digital camera, but I was not satisfied with the image quality. After researching, I discovered the Canon SD700 IS was getting consistently high image quality ratings. Unfortunately, it is a discontinued model, and the follow up models have received poor image quality ratings. The reduced image quality in the 7, 8, and 10 megapixel models today is not unexpected, as it's fairly clear by now that the tiny image sensors found in pocket digital cameras really can't be pushed past 6 megapixels.
I finally found the camera on eBay, paid the outrageous ground shipping, and spent the weekend shooting the markets!
Posted by: Eric in SF at August 13, 2007 11:04 AM
thank you eric i have so many images
to look at on your web site and enjoy
thank you for the camera talk
as i have said before you help me
go around the world meet so many
interesting people
Posted by: elizabeth a airhart at August 13, 2007 3:46 PM
Looks inviting enough to chop up and add to a green salad!
Posted by: Cyndy Henderson at August 13, 2007 5:44 PM
Gorgeous photo... but I'm really more interested in the plant info! Where was the M. charantia hybrid developed, what was it hybridized with? It does look significantly different than others, with the bumps that are spiked. They almost look like fish!
Posted by: Gena Fleming at August 15, 2007 4:45 PM
I'm interested in learning how to prepare this vegetable for eating.
Posted by: Bill Doumas at August 20, 2008 6:35 PM
Please share your comments about the photograph(s) and accompanying write-up. Telling a story about the subject of the photograph(s) is also much appreciated! If you have a gardening question, the best place to ask is on the UBC Botanical Garden Forums. Thank you!
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Really beautiful photo! I love green and this texture looks great.