angled luffa; ridged gourd; Chinese okra
A tropical vine (Luffa acutangula) cultivated for its young fruit, which is used as a vegetable, and for the mature fibrous interior used as a sponge.
Angled luffa is often used in Okinawan cuisine.
This angled luffa fruit is still young and ready to eat.
ヘチマ (Luffa aegyptiaca) is the smooth luffa, while トカドヘチマ is the angled or ridged variety with distinct ridges on the fruit.
Katakana spelling is common for this plant name; usually written in kana.
Kanji spelling is rare and mainly encountered in botanical contexts.
The name トカドヘチマ literally means 'ten-angled gourd', from 十 (ten), 角 (angle), and 糸瓜 (loofah). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it refers to the prominent ridges on the fruit.