Difference between revisions of "Cucurbita ficifolia"

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{{Taxobox
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__NOTOC__{{Plantbox
| color = lightgreen
 
| image=Courge de Siam.jpg
 
 
| name = ''Cucurbita ficifolia''
 
| name = ''Cucurbita ficifolia''
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
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| common_names =    <!--- if multiple, list all, if none, leave blank -->
| divisio = [[Magnoliophyta]]
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| growth_habit = ?  <!--- tree, shrub, herbaceous, vine, etc -->
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
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| high = ?  <!--- 1m (3 ft) -->
| ordo = [[Cucurbitales]]
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| wide =    <!--- 65cm (25 inches) -->
| familia = [[Cucurbitaceae]]
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| origin = ?  <!--- Mexico, S America, S Europe, garden, etc -->
| genus = ''[[Cucurbita]]''
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| poisonous =    <!--- indicate parts of plants which are known/thought to be poisonous -->
| species = '''''C. ficifolia'''''
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| lifespan =    <!--- perennial, annual, etc -->
| binomial = ''Cucurbita ficifolia''
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| exposure = ?  <!--- full sun, part-sun, semi-shade, shade, indoors, bright filtered (you may list more than 1) -->
| binomial_authority = Bouché
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| water = ?  <!--- frequent, regular, moderate, drought tolerant, let dry then soak -->
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| features =    <!--- flowers, fragrance, fruit, naturalizes, invasive -->
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| hardiness =    <!--- frost sensitive, hardy, 5°C (40°F), etc -->
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| bloom =    <!--- seasons which the plant blooms, if it is grown for its flowers -->
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| usda_zones = ?  <!--- eg. 8-11 -->
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| sunset_zones =    <!--- eg. 8, 9, 12-24, not available -->
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| color = IndianRed
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| image = Courge de Siam.jpg
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| image_width = 240px    <!--- leave as 240px if horizontal orientation photo, or change to 180px if vertical -->
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| image_caption =    <!--- eg. Cultivated freesias -->
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| regnum = Plantae
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| divisio = Magnoliophyta
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| classis = Magnoliopsida
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| ordo = Cucurbitales
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| familia = Cucurbitaceae
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| genus = Cucurbita
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| species = ficifolia
 
}}
 
}}
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{{Inc|
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Cucurbita ficifolia, Bouch6 (C. melanosperma, A. Br.). St. very long, stout, becoming somewhat woody: Lvs. pale green, often marbled, m outline ovate or suborbicular, cordate at base, roundly 5-lobed and the sinus rounded: calyx-tube short and campanulate: fr. large (often 1 ft. long), fleshy, round-ovoid, white-striped, the flesh white; seeds ovate, black. E. Asia, but widely cult, in warm countries for its ornamental watermelon-like frs. A var. mexicana, Hort. (C. mexicana, Spreng.), is mentioned, with seeds twice the size of those of the type, and said to grow wild in the neighborhood of Mazatlan, Mex.
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{{SCH}}
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}}
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==Cultivation==
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{{edit-cult}}<!--- Type cultivation info below this line, then delete this entire line -->
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===Propagation===
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{{edit-prop}}<!--- Type propagation info below this line, then delete this entire line -->
  
'''''Cucurbita ficifolia''''' is an [[annual plant|annual]] [[vine]] or trailing plant grown at high altitudes for its edible [[seed]]s, [[fruit]], and [[greens (vegetable)|greens]].
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===Pests and diseases===
English names for the plant include '''chilacayote''', '''fig-leaved gourd''', '''malabar gourd''', '''Thai marrow''', '''shark fin melon''' and '''pie melon'''.
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{{edit-pests}}<!--- Type pest/disease info below this line, then delete this entire line -->
It shows considerable biochemical difference from the other members of its genus, and does not hybridize readily with them.
 
  
== Origin and distribution ==
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==Species==
It is native to the [[Americas]], although the exact center of [[domestication]] is unclear.
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<!--  This section should be renamed Cultivars if it appears on a page for a species (rather than genus), or perhaps Varieties if there is a mix of cultivars, species, hybrids, etc    -->
Linguistic evidence suggests [[Mexico]], because of the wide use of [[Nahuatl]]-derived names as far south as [[Argentina]], while archaeological evidence suggests [[Peru]], because the earliest remains have been found there.  Biosystematics have been unable to confirm either hypothesis.{{Fact|date=February 2007}}  It is called ''zambo'' in [[Ecuador]].
 
  
It is now grown in many parts of [[Eurasia]], from [[France]] to [[India]] to [[Japan]].
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==Gallery==
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{{photo-sources}}<!-- remove this line if there are already 3 or more photos in the gallery  -->
  
== Uses ==
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<gallery>
The most important use of ''Cucurbita ficifolia'' is for its [[fat]]- and [[protein]]-rich [[seed]]s.
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Image:Upload.png| photo 1
They are used along with [[honey]] to make [[palenqueta]]s, a [[dessert]].
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Image:Upload.png| photo 2
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Image:Upload.png| photo 3
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</gallery>
  
The second most important use is for its [[fruit]].  The immature fruit is cooked as a [[vegetable]], while the mature fruit is sweet, and used to make [[confectionery]] and [[beverage]]s, sometimes [[alcoholic beverage|alcoholic]].
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==References==
The fruit has a low [[beta-carotene]] content, as can be seen from its white flesh.
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*[[Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture]], by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963
It has a moderate content of [[carbohydrate]]s, and a relatively low content of [[vitamin]]s and [[dietary mineral|mineral]]s.
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<!--- xxxxx *Flora: The Gardener's Bible, by Sean Hogan. Global Book Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0881925381  -->
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<!--- xxxxx  *American Horticultural Society: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, by Christopher Brickell, Judith D. Zuk. 1996. ISBN 0789419432  -->
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<!--- xxxxx  *Sunset National Garden Book. Sunset Books, Inc., 1997. ISBN 0376038608  -->
  
The [[flower]]s, [[leaf|leaves]] and young [[shoot]]s are used as [[greens (vegetable)|greens]].
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==External links==
The vine and fruit are used for [[fodder]].
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*{{wplink}}
  
== External links ==
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{{stub}}
* [http://www.fao.org/docrep/t0646e/T0646E0a.htm Neglected crops: 1492 from a different perspective (ch 10)]
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[[Category:Categorize]]
{{unimelb|Cucurbita.html#ficifolia}}
 
  
[[Category:Cucurbitaceae]]
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<!--  in order to add all the proper categories, go to http://www.plants.am/wiki/Plant_Categories and copy/paste the contents of the page here, and then follow the easy instructions!    -->
[[Category:fruit]]
 
[[Category:Edible nuts and seeds]]
 
[[Category:Flora of Ecuador]]
 
[[Category:Flora of Peru]]
 

Latest revision as of 01:39, 18 August 2009


Courge de Siam.jpg


Plant Characteristics
Origin: ?
Cultivation
Exposure: ?"?" is not in the list (sun, part-sun, shade, unknown) of allowed values for the "Exposure" property.
Water: ?"?" is not in the list (wet, moist, moderate, dry, less when dormant) of allowed values for the "Water" property.
Scientific Names

Cucurbitaceae >

Cucurbita >

ficifolia >



Read about Cucurbita ficifolia in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture 

Cucurbita ficifolia, Bouch6 (C. melanosperma, A. Br.). St. very long, stout, becoming somewhat woody: Lvs. pale green, often marbled, m outline ovate or suborbicular, cordate at base, roundly 5-lobed and the sinus rounded: calyx-tube short and campanulate: fr. large (often 1 ft. long), fleshy, round-ovoid, white-striped, the flesh white; seeds ovate, black. E. Asia, but widely cult, in warm countries for its ornamental watermelon-like frs. A var. mexicana, Hort. (C. mexicana, Spreng.), is mentioned, with seeds twice the size of those of the type, and said to grow wild in the neighborhood of Mazatlan, Mex. CH


The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.


Cultivation

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Propagation

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Pests and diseases

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Species

Gallery

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References

External links