Momordica charantia subsp. charantia (Bitter Gourd)

Native to tropical and subtropical Africa, Asia, Australasia and the South Pacific, this annual vine climbs or sprawls for about 6 to 10 feet. Its foliage gives off an unpleasant smell when crushed. Separate male and female yellow flowers grow on the same plant. The warty fruits turn orange at maturity and split into three sections, exposing seeds enclosed in bright red, fleshy coverings.

Cultivated forms are grown for their intensely bitter immature fruits, which are harvested green, deseeded and cooked in stir-fries or other dishes. The seeds are poisonous. Escaped vines are invasive in Florida, where they can form dense thickets and cover native vegetation. Photographed in the department of Atlántico, Colombia.