Cucurbita moschata

Cucurbita moschata
Butternut squash, a variety of Cucurbita moschata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Plantae
Clade:Angiosperms
Clade:Eudicots
Clade:Rosids
Order:Cucurbitales
Family:Cucurbitaceae
Genus:Cucurbita
Species: C. moschata
Binomial name
Cucurbita moschata
Synonyms[1]
  • Cucurbita colombiana (Zhit.) Bukasov
  • Cucurbita hippopera Ser.
  • Cucurbita macrocarpa Gasp.
  • Cucurbita meloniformis Carrière
  • Cucurbita pepo var. moschata Duchesne
  • Gymnopetalum calyculatum Miq.
  • Pepo moschata (Duchesne) Britton

Cucurbita moschata is a species originating in either Central America or northern South America.[2] It includes cultivars known as squash or pumpkin. C. moschata cultivars are generally more tolerant of hot, humid weather than cultivars of C. maxima or C. pepo. They also generally display a greater resistance to disease and insects, especially to the squash vine borer. Commercially made pumpkin pie mix is most often made from varieties of C. moschata. The ancestral species of the genus Cucurbita were present in the Americas before the arrival of humans. Evolutionarily speaking the genus is relatively recent in origin as no species within the genus is genetically isolated from all the other species. C. moschata acts as the genetic bridge within the genus and is closest to the genus' progenitor.[3]

Varieties

Cultivars include:

  • Aehobak – a summer squash, also called Korean zucchini
  • Butternut squash – a popular winter squash in much of North America
  • Calabaza - a commonly grown winter squash in the Caribbean.
  • Crookneck[4]
  • Dickinson pumpkin – Libby's uses a proprietary strain of Dickinson for its canned pumpkin.[5][6]
  • Giromon - A large, green cultivar, grown primarily in the Caribbean. Haitians use it to make the traditional "soupe giromon".[7]
  • Golden Cushaw – Similar in shape but a different species than the common Cucurbita argyrosperma "cushaw" type.
  • Loche – a landrace of squashes from Peru.[8]
  • Long Island cheese pumpkin - the exterior resembles a wheel of cheese in shape, color, and texture
  • Musquée de Provence or Moscata di Provenza
  • Naples long squash
  • Seminole pumpkin - an heirloom variety originally cultivated by the Seminole Indians of Florida
  • Tromboncino - a summer squash, also known as "Zucchetta"[9]

References

  1. ↑ The Plant List, Cucurbita moschata
  2. ↑ Hui, Yiu H. (2006). "Pumpkins and Squashes". Handbook of Food Science, Technology, and Engineering. 1. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press. pp. 20–10.
  3. ↑ Whitaker, Thomas W.; Bemis, W. P. (1975). "Origin and Evolution of the Cultivated Cucurbita". Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club. New York: Torrey Botanical Society. 102 (6): 362–368. doi:10.2307/2484762. JSTOR 2484762.
  4. ↑ Elisa Ludwig (19 November 2009). "Pumpkin Can Be So Much More Than Pie". The Inquirer. Retrieved 19 January 2013.
  5. ↑ Richardson, R. W. "Squash and Pumpkin" (PDF). United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. Retrieved November 23, 2014.
  6. ↑ Stephens, James M. "Pumpkin — Cucurbita spp". University of Florida. Retrieved November 23, 2014.
  7. ↑ West-Duran, Alan (2003). African Caribbeans: a reference guide. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. p. 110. ISBN 0-313-31240-0.
  8. ↑ Andres TC, R Ugás, F Bustamante. 2006. Loche: A unique pre-Columbian squash locally grown in North Coastal Peru. In: Proceedings of Cucurbitaceae 2006. G.J. Holmes (eds.) Universal Press, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. pp. 333-340. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/237805567_Loche_a_Unique_Pre-Columbian_Squash_Locally_Grown_in_North_Coastal_Peru
  9. ↑ "Zucchetta". Mount Vernon Northwestern Washington Research and Extension Center: Vegetable Research and Extension. Washington State University. Retrieved 10 May 2013.
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