Bitter gourd is an annual climbing herb. The root system is developed and there are many lateral roots. The diameter of root group is more than 1 m, and the depth can reach more than 50 cm.
Bitter gourd stems prostrate, 5-sided, dark green, with fine hairs. The axillary buds of each node of the main vine are very active and can produce lateral vines, while the axillary buds of each node of the lateral vine produce secondary lateral vines, forming a relatively lush vine leaf system. Besides axillary buds, tendrils and flower buds also occur at each node. Tendrils are solitary.
Bitter gourd is a dicotyledonous plant, and its cotyledons are unearthed. Primary leaves 1 pair, opposite, peltate. In the later stage, the true leaves are alternate, palmately parted, green, light green on the back, with radial veins (generally five radial veins), yellow-green petiole and ribbed stalk.
Bitter gourd flowers are solitary and monoecious. Plants usually have male flowers first, and then female flowers. Male calyx campanulate, sepals 5, green; 5 petals, yellow; With long pedicels, peltate bracts attached to long pedicels, green. 3 stamens, separated, with 5 anthers, each bent into a nearly "S" shape and combined with each other. It usually blooms at 8 ~ 9 am. The female flower has five petals, the ovary is lower, the petals are yellow, the flower stalk is longer, and there is a green bract in the middle of the flower stalk. There are 5-6 pistils and stigmas, and the opening time is also 8-9 am.
Bitter gourd fruit is a berry with many tumor-like protrusions on its surface, which can be divided into scattered tumors and long straight tumors. The two tumor-like processes are separated from each other, some varieties have multiple or all dense tumors, and some varieties are all straight tumors. Generally, white bitter gourd varieties have many dense tumors, while green bitter gourd varieties have a large proportion of long straight tumors. The shapes of fruits are spindle, short cone, long cone, rod and so on. The skin of tender fruit is thick green, green, yellow-green, green-white, orange-yellow when ripe, and the pulp is cracked.
Bitter gourd seeds are shield-shaped, yellow or yellowish. Before ripening, the seeds are wrapped in spongy green and white tissues. After ripening, the contents turn into bright red fleshy tissue, which is sweet and edible. The seed coat of a seed is hard and thick with patterns on it. Generally, each fruit contains 20 ~ 30 seeds, more than 50 seeds, and the 1000-grain weight is150 ~180g.