| IMAGES (click on a thumbnail to enlarge it): |
   |
| IMAGES (click on a thumbnail to enlarge it): |
| |
|
PUBLISHED IN: Guihaia 4(1): 29, t. 1, f. 1–7. 1984. TYPE: China ETYMOLOGY: grosvenorii = in honor of Dr. Gilbert Grosvenor, President of the National Geographic Society, who encouraged botanical exploration of China. BASIONYM: Momordica grosvenorii Swingle, Journal of the Arnold Arboretum 22(2): 198–203, pl. 1–2. 1941. SYNONYMY: Momordica grosvenorii Swingle, Journal of the Arnold Arboretum 22(2): 198–203, t. 1–2. 1941. Annotation: as “Grosvenori.” Type: W. Guilin, Y.W. Taam, 1A (holotype: NA; isotype: A). INFRASPECIFIC TAXA: VERNACULAR NAME: luo han guo (also sometimes spelled: lo han kuo) [Chinese] OTHER VERNACULAR NAMES: arhat fruit, longevity fruit CULTIVARS: DESCRIPTION: Perennial, dioecious, herbaceous climbing vine, 2–5 m. in length. Roots tuberous, fusiform when young, finally subglobose, 10–15 cm in diameter. Found in warm foggy climate. CHROMOSOME NUMBER: 2n = 28. DISTRIBUTION: Southern China. ECOLOGY: EDIBLE USE: Low calorie sweetening agent in other juices or drinks, or it can be made into a desirable beverage itself. The juice is 5 times sweeter than regular sugar (sucrose), 40 to 50 times sweeter than typical fruit juices. Dried fruit used often in Cantonese soups. MEDICINAL USE: Ripe fruit used for medicine. OTHER USE: ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE: U.S. Patent Number: 6,103,240, titled: Herbal Sweetening and Preservative Composition Comprising Licorice Extract and Mogrosides Obtained from Plants Belonging to Cucurbitaceae and/or Momordica, issued 2000. U.S. Patent Number: 5,411,755, titled: Process and Composition For Sweet Juice from Cucurbitaceae Fruit, issued 1995. U.S. Patent Number: 5,433,965, titled: Beverage Compositions and Sweetening Compositions Which Contain Juice Derived From Botanical Subfamily Cucurbitaceae, issued 1995. CONSERVATION: CULTIVATION PRACTICES: It is mainly produced in Guangxi, Guangdong, Guizhou, Hunan, and Jiangxi provinces of China. It is trained over horizontal trellises. SEEDS AVAILABLE FROM: LITERATURE: Xu Weikun, et al. Isolation and Identity of mannose in Luo han guo. Guangxi Plant. 1990, 21(3): 254. INTERNET: |