Common Names
Common Names in English:
Kabocha, Winter Squash
Description
Family Cucurbitaceae
The Cucurbitaceae are mostly prostrate or climbing herbaceous annuals comprising about 90 genera and 700 species that are further characterized by commonly having 5-angled stems and coiled tendrils . The leaves are alternate and usually palmately 5-lobed or divided ; stipules are absent. The flowers are actinomorphic and nearly always unisexual . The perianth has a short to prolonged epigynous zone that bears a calyx of 3-6 segments or lobes and 3-6 petals or more frequently a 3-6-lobed sympetalous corolla. The androecium is highly variable, consisting of basically 5 distinct to completely connate stamens that frequently are twisted, folded or reduced in number. The gynoecium consists of a single compound pistil of 2-5 carpels, generally with one style and as many style branches or major stigma lobes as carpels, and an inferior ovary with one locule and usually numerous ovules on 2-5 parietal placentae or 3 locules with numerous ovules on axile placentae. The fruit is a type of berry called a pepo . -- Gerald Carr.
Genus Cucurbita
Annual
or perennial
herbs. Stem angular, hispid
or hairy
. Tendrils
branched, mostly 2-4-fid. Leaves petiolate
, ovate
, generally 5-lobed, base
cordate, hirsute
or scabrescent. Flowers large, yellow, solitary; monoecious. Male flowers rarely fascicled. Calyx campanulate
, lobes
5, subulate
, spathulate or leafy. Corolla campanulate, shallowly 5-lobed, lobes usually recurved. Stamens 3, inserted
low on the calyx tube
. Filaments
free
, anthers
linear
and connate
, one monothecous and two dithecous; connectives
not produced
. Pistillode
absent. Female flowers shortly pedunculate
. Ovary oblong
, style
simple
, short, stigmas 3(5), papillose
, ovules many, horizontal. Fruit fleshy
, indehiscent, many-seeded. Seeds ovate or oblong, smooth
, marginate
or emarginate
.
A genus of about 20 species, 15 are American, while 5 species are cultivated throughout the tropical
and subtropical
regions of the world. Represented in Pakistan by 2 cultivated species.S. Nazimuddin and S. Shaharyar H. Haqvi "Cucurbita". in Flora of Pakistan Page 48. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org.
Physical Description
Size/Age/Growth
Size: 18-24" tall.
Biology
Growth
Culture: Space 8-10' apart.
Soil: Minimum pH: 5.6 • Maximum pH: 7.5
Taxonomy
- Domain:
Eukaryota
(
)
- Whittaker & Margulis,1978
- Kingdom:
Plantae
()
- Haeckel, 1866
- Plants
- Subkingdom:
Viridaeplantae
()
- Cavalier-Smith, 1981
- Phylum:
Tracheophyta
()
- Sinnott, 1935 Ex Cavalier-Smith, 1998
- Vascular Plants
- Subphylum:
Euphyllophytina
()
- Infraphylum:
Radiatopses
()
- Kenrick & Crane, 1997
- Class:
Magnoliopsida
()
- Brongniart, 1843
- Dicotyledons
- Subclass:
Dilleniidae
()
- Takhtajan, 1967
- Superorder:
Violanae
()
- R. Dahlgren Ex Reveal, 1992
- Order:
Cucurbitales
()
- Dumortier, 1829
- Family:
Cucurbitaceae
()
- Durande, 1782, Nom. Cons.
- Cucumber Family
- Subfamily:
Cucurbitoideae
()
- Tribe:
Cucurbiteae
()
- Genus:
Cucurbita
()
- Linn., Sp. Pl. 1010. 1753.
- Gourd
- Specific epithet:
maxima
- Botanical name: - Cucurbita maxima 'Special Export'
- Specific epithet:
maxima
- Genus:
Cucurbita
(
- Tribe:
Cucurbiteae
(
- Subfamily:
Cucurbitoideae
(
- Family:
Cucurbitaceae
(
- Order:
Cucurbitales
(
- Superorder:
Violanae
(
- Subclass:
Dilleniidae
(
- Class:
Magnoliopsida
(
- Infraphylum:
Radiatopses
(
- Subphylum:
Euphyllophytina
(
- Phylum:
Tracheophyta
(
- Subkingdom:
Viridaeplantae
(
- Kingdom:
Plantae
(
Similar Species
Members of the genus Cucurbita
There are approximately 1239 species in this genus. Here are just 100 of them:
C. 'Cerrano' · C. 'Gemstore' · C. 'Tetsukabuto' (Japanese Squash) · C. acutangula · C. alba · C. amara · C. andreana · C. anguria · C. argyropserma · C. argyropserma var. palmeri · C. argyrosperma · C. argyrosperma 'Veracruz Pepita' (Winter Squash) · C. argyrosperma argyrosperma · C. argyrosperma Hort. 'Pepita Squash' · C. argyrosperma sororia · C. argyrosperma subsp. sororia · C. argyrosperma var. callicarpa · C. argyrosperma var. palmeri · C. argyrosperma var. stenosperma · C. aspera · C. asperata · C. asteroides · C. aurantia · C. bononiensis · C. caffra · C. camolenga · C. campanulata · C. ceratoceras · C. cerifera · C. ciceraria · C. citrullus · C. clodiensis · C. coccinea · C. colocyntha · C. colombiana · C. cordata · C. courgero · C. cucullata · C. cucumifera · C. cyanoperizona · C. cylindrata · C. depressa · C. digitata (Finger Leaf Gourd) · C. dioica · C. ecuadorensis · C. elongata · C. esculenta · C. evodicarpa · C. exanthematica · C. farinae · C. farinosa · C. fastuosa · C. ficifolia (Figleaf Gourd) · C. ficifolia 'Chilacayote White' (Winter Squash) · C. ficifolia f. melanosperma · C. fisifolia · C. foetidisima · C. foetidissima (Buffalo Gourd) · C. fraterna · C. galeottii · C. gigantea · C. gracilior · C. grisea · C. hieroglyphica · C. hippopera · C. hispida · C. hybrid · C. hybrida · C. idololatrica · C. infundibuliformis · C. kellyana · C. leucantha · C. lignosa · C. littoralis · C. lundelliana · C. macrocarpa · C. mammeata · C. mammosa · C. marsupiiformis · C. martinezii · C. maxima (Winter Squash) · C. maxima 'Akehime' (Winter Squash - Kabocha) · C. maxima 'Aladdin's Red Turban' (Gourd) · C. maxima 'All Season' (Winter Squash) · C. maxima 'Amber Star' (Winter Squash) · C. maxima 'Ambercup' (Kabocha) · C. maxima 'Anna Swartz Hubbard' (Winter Squash) · C. maxima 'Arikara' (Winter Squash) · C. maxima 'Atlantic Giant' · C. maxima 'Australian Butter' (Pumpkin) · C. maxima 'Autumn Gold' (Pumpkin) · C. maxima 'Autumn King' (Pumpkin) · C. maxima 'Autumn Pride' (Winter Squash) · C. maxima 'Baby Blue' (Hubbard Squash) · C. maxima 'Baby Delica' (Japanese) · C. maxima 'Banana' (Winter Squash) · C. maxima 'Big Autumn' (Pumpkin) · C. maxima 'Big Max' (Pumpkin) · C. maxima 'Big Moon' (Pumpkin) · C. maxima 'Bitterroot Buttercup' (Winter Squash)
More Info
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Notes
Contributors
- Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-2006. Systema Naturae 2000. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Accessed October 5, 2006.
Identifiers
- Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 977281
