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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.

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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==Cultivation==

| color = lightgreen

| image=Courge de Siam.jpg

 

| name = ''Cucurbita ficifolia''

===Propagation===

| regnum = [[Plant]]ae

{{edit-prop}}<!--- Type propagation info below this line, then delete this entire line -->

| ordo = [[Cucurbitales]]

| familia = [[Cucurbitaceae]]

| genus = ''[[Cucurbita]]''

| species = '''''C. ficifolia'''''

| binomial = ''Cucurbita ficifolia''

| binomial_authority = Bouché

}}

'''''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]].

===Pests and diseases===

English names for the plant include '''chilacayote''', '''fig-leaved gourd''', '''malabar gourd''', '''Thai marrow''', '''shark fin melon''' and '''pie melon'''.

{{edit-pests}}<!--- Type pest/disease info below this line, then delete this entire line -->

== Origin and distribution ==

==Species==

It is native to the [[Americas]], although the exact center of [[domestication]] is unclear.

<!--  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]].

{{photo-sources}}<!-- remove this line if there are already 3 or more photos in the gallery  -->

The most important use of ''Cucurbita ficifolia'' is for its [[fat]]- and [[protein]]-rich [[seed]]s.

Image:Upload.png| photo 1

They are used along with [[honey]] to make [[palenqueta]]s, a [[dessert]].

Image:Upload.png| photo 2

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]].

The fruit has a low [[beta-carotene]] content, as can be seen from its white flesh.

*[[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.

<!--- xxxxx *Flora: The Gardener's Bible, by Sean Hogan. Global Book Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0881925381  -->

<!--- xxxxx  *American Horticultural Society: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, by Christopher Brickell, Judith D. Zuk. 1996. ISBN 0789419432  -->

<!--- xxxxx  *Sunset National Garden Book. Sunset Books, Inc., 1997. ISBN 0376038608  -->

* [http://www.fao.org/docrep/t0646e/T0646E0a.htm Neglected crops: 1492 from a different perspective (ch 10)]

[[Category:Categorize]]

[[Category:Cucurbitaceae]]

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[[Category:Edible nuts and seeds]]

[[Category:Flora of Ecuador]]