Cucurbita
(from Cucumis, the Cucumber, and orbis, a globe; in allusion to the shape of the fruit). Gourd. ORD. Cucurbitaceae. Half-hardy trailing annuals. Flowers monoecious; corolla yellow, campanulate. Males: calyx hemispherically campanulate; stamens three, one one-celled, two two-celled. Females: calyx obovate-clavate, narrowed towards the top, or campanulate, and always circumcised under the limb after flowering. For culture, &c., see Gourds. C. maxima (largest). Large Hollow Gourd or Pumpkin. fl., tube of calyx obovate, ending in a short neck. July. fr. yellow, red, or green, globose, somewhat depressed. l. cordate, very rugged; petioles hispid. Native country unknown. Cultivated in all warm and temperate parts of the globe. C. m. Courgero (Courgero). fr. green or yellow, small, full at maturity. l. ovate, cordate, three to five-lobed, somewhat cochleate. Stems assurgent, dwarf.
C. m. viridis (green). Large Green Gourd. fr. green, large, hollow at maturity. Stems very long, climbing.
C. moschata (musky). Musk Melon. fl., calyx hemispherically campanulate, short, having the throat much dilated. May. fr. depressed. l. cordate, obtuse, somewhat five-lobed, denticulated. Tendrils usually transformed into very imperfect leaves. Native country unknown. 1597.
C. Pepo. Pumpkin. fl., calyx ending in a neck beneath the limb. June to August. fr. roundish or oblong, smooth. l. cordate, obtuse, somewhat five-lobed, denticulated. Levant, 1570. The Custard Gourd (Fig. 567) is one of the best-known of the very numerous forms of this species, of which there are also roundish and oblong-fruited ones. Fig. 568 represents (1) leaf and (2) male and (3) female flowers of one of the long-fruited varieties. C. P. aurantia (orange). Orange Gourd. fl. yellow. Summer. fr. having the appearance and colour of an orange, globose, smooth. l. sub-cordate, three-lobed, cuspidate, sharply denticulated. Native country unknown. 1802. Plant very scabrous. There are two or more varieties. C. P. ovifera (egg-bearing). Egg-bearing Gourd, or Vegetable Marrow. fl., calyx obovate, ending in a short neck, and cut round after flowering to the neck. July to September. fr. greenish or yellowish, figure of an egg, obovate or ovate, smooth. l. cordate, angular, five-lobed, denticulated, pubescent. Native country unknown. There are grey-fruited, pear-shape-fruited, and sub-globose-fruited forms of this species. See also Vegetable Marrow. C. P. verrucosa (warted). Warted Gourd. fr. roundish-elliptic, warted. l. cordate, deeply five-lobed, denticulated; middle lobe narrow at the base. 1658. In America, this is commonly grown for culinary purposes, but in England chiefly as a curiosity.
C. perennis (perennial). fl. about the size of C. Pepo; lobes of calyx subulate. fr. nearly sessile, orbicular, smooth, usually four-celled. l. triangularly cordate, with undulated margins. Tendrils trichotomous. Native place doubtful. SYN. Cucumis perennis.