It is known by the name of parwal , palwal , or parmal in different parts of India and Bangladesh and is one of the important vegetables of this region. The fruit is the edible part of the plant which is cooked in various ways either alone or in combination with other vegetables or meats. It is purported that pointed gourd possesses the medicinal property of lowering total cholesterol and blood sugar. Pointed gourd trained on a fence wire trellis.
Roots are tuberous with long taproot system.
Vines are pencil thick in size with dark green cordate simple leaves. The pointed gourd is usually propagated through vine cuttings and root suckers. Seeds are not used in planting because of poor germination and inability to determine the sex of plants before flowering. To propagate from root suckers, tuberous roots of pointed gourd are dug in the early spring, subdivided, and replanted. Both pre-rooted and fresh vine cuttings are used for propagation.