Cucurbita

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Cucurbita

Description

Medium-sized stout annual (or perennial not in our area) trailing or climbing herbs, leafy stem 3-5(-10) mm diam., plant hairy or scabrous; Leaves: Flowers orange(-yellow), solitary (in male sometimes 2); Fruit a pepo, often with hard rind, small or (very) large, variable in shape and colour; Seeds numerous, compressed, medium or large, (narrowly) elliptic in outline, little or not ornamented, margin narrow (rarely broad), edge entire.

Distribution

Asia-Tropical: Philippines (Philippines present), New World present
About 25 species. All Cucurbita species are originally indigenous in the New World; four species are cultivated all over the world, three extensively so in tropical as well as (in summer) in subtropical or extra-tropical regions; in Malesia: 3 species commonly cultivated, but Cucurbita ficifolia Bouché occasionally cultivated in the highlands of the Philippines.

Taxonomy

Marked wild or feral forms do not occur in our area, and these have not been further accounted for. The three (five) cultivated species are each very variable and look-alike and can often only be recognized when completely known (habit, flowers and fruits); especially, well-developed fruit can be characteristic. Hybridization between the species seems difficult or absent. A brief description of each current species should suffice for distinction and naming a plant found in our area. The species of Malesia are annual.

Uses

Flowers, cooked or fried, are eaten. Fruits and (oily) seeds are widely used as food. Shoots are used as a vegetable. Also medicinal.

Citation

Widjaja & Sukprakarn 1993 – In: PROSEA: 160
L. 2008 – In: Fl. Thailand: 430
Cogn. 1881 – In: A.DC. & C.DC., Monogr. Phan. 3: 542
Backer 1964 – In: Backer & Bakh.f., Fl. Java 1: 305
Keraudren 1975 – In: Aubrév. & J.-F.Leroy, Fl. Cambodge, Laos & Vietnam 15: 102
C.Jeffrey 2001 – In: Hanelt, Mansfeld’s encycl. agric. hort. crops 3: 1541
W.J.de Wilde & Duyfjes – In: Sandakania: 58