Gourd family
Description
A family of mostly tendril climbing herbs with weak sappy stems,
mostly in the tropics and subtropics (Cucurbitaceae 1).
The tendrils arise besides the bases of the palmate leaves. The flowers are unisexual, often dioecious, usually yellow, occasionally white. Female flowers with 5 sepals and petals, often joined below, and an inferior ovary. Male flowers usually with 3 stamens. The fruit is a berry, often large, or a capsule.
There are about 100 genera.
Use
The family includes many important food plants like melons, cucumbers, gourds, marrows, pumpkins and squashes. Other species provide fruits which are used as household utensils, like the bottle gourd and smooth loofah.
Described species
Citrullus vulgaris, water melon
Cucumis melo, melon
Cucumis sativus, cucumber
Cucumis anguria, gherkin, see Cucumis sativus
Cucumis metulifera, horned cucumber or kiwano, see Cucumis sativus
Cucurbita pepo, pumpkins, marrows, squashes, see Cucurbita sp.
Cucurbita maxima, winter squashes, see Cucurbita sp.
Benincasa hispida, wax gourd, see Cucurbita sp.
Lagenaria siceraria, bottle gourd
Luffa cylindrica, smooth loofah
Luffa acutangula, angled loofah, see Luffa cylindrica
Momordica charantia, bitter gourd or balsam pear
Sechium edule, chayote
Trichosanthes cucumerina, snake gourd
Trichosanthes dioica, see Trichosanthes cucumerina