Lai grape, also known as bitter gourd, belongs to cucurbitaceae, but it is not the same crop. Bitter melon is a kind of vegetable, which can be eaten cold or cooked. Grape is a kind of fruit. When ripe, the flesh is red, sweet and rich in vitamins A and C. Because their leaves and fruits have the same shape, it is not easy to distinguish them. But bitter gourd can be eaten as long as it bears fruit; Lai grapes must be ripe to eat. When some grapes are ripe, the fruit will crack, revealing the red flesh inside.

Jin Lingzi is actually another name for the fruit of Toosendan Fructus, also known as Toosendan Fructus.

Toosendan: A deciduous perennial tree of Meliaceae, with a height of 10 m, grayish brown bark, grayish yellow branchlets and alternate pinnate leaves. Panicle axillary, lavender flowers, drupe round or rectangular, about 3 cm in diameter, yellow or chestnut brown. The flowering period is from April to May, and the fruiting period is10-65438+February.

The fruit is spherical with a diameter of 2 ~ 3 cm. The surface is golden yellow to brownish yellow, slightly shiny and with dark brown spots. There are styles at the top and traces of fruit stalks at the base. The exocarp is leathery, and there is often a gap between it and the pulp. The pulp is soft and yellowish, and sticky when it meets water. The nucleus is spherical or ovoid, hard, with 6-8 longitudinal edges at both ends, and is divided into 6-8 chambers, each of which contains 1 dark brown oblong seed.

The dried and mature fruit of Toosendan Fructus, namely Jin Lingzi, is brownish yellow with black spots. It is an authentic Chinese herbal medicine commonly used in Sichuan, which was first seen in Shennong Herbal Classic. Its taste is unique, sour, bitter, cold and slightly toxic. It can soothe the liver, regulate qi, relieve pain and expel worms. Used for chest pain, abdominal distension pain, hernia pain and abdominal pain caused by insect infestation. Mainly produced in Wanxian, Yunyang, Dayi, Shuangliu, Jintang, Chongqing and other places, with large quantity and high quality. Born in Pingba and hilly areas, it is harvested when the fruit turns yellow in autumn and winter. The main medicinal components are toosendanin and alkaloids. In many parts of the country, the fruit of the same family neem is also used as neem.