Gourd Family
Trichosanthes tricuspidata Lour.
Indrayan
Nepali: Indrenee
A long stem climber with many branches and large-sized palmate leaves attached. Tendrils are long divided into two. Flowers are white with a frill on the edges. Found in the eastern Himalayas at mid-elevations. This photo was from 2300m at the end of July. Medicinal uses are several; ayurvedic medicine crushes the seeds for earaches and asthma. Other medicinal systems use the fruits to treat inflammation, migraines, a purgative, and many more that can be found in this journal article https://www.researchgate.net/publication/255627460_Trichosanthes_Tricuspidata_A_Medicinally_Important_Plant
Herpetospermum pedunculosum (Ser.) C.B. Clarke
Himalayan Bitter Gourd
Nepali: Kurakure Kaakro or Ban Karelaa
Draped over a dead tree at 2700m this was trailing through the surrounding vegetation. The bright yellow flowers are easy to see and identify as a gourd. The fruit is ellipsoid, with a fibrous center. The seeds are used in Tibetan medicine as an anti-inflammatory for many ailments and the root is used for bile ducts. Flowers were seen in August and September.
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