Cucurbita foetidissima

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Calabazilla)
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Template:Short description Template:Speciesbox

Cucurbita foetidissima is a tuberous xerophytic plant found in the central and southwestern United States and northern Mexico.[1] It has numerous common names, but is most commonly called the buffalo gourd in English. The type specimen was collected from Mexico by Alexander von Humboldt and Aimé Bonpland sometime before 1817.[2] In Latin, foetidissima means most unpleasant smell.

The buffalo gourd has evolved in the semiarid regions and is well-adapted to desert environments. It contains high amounts of protein and carbohydrates and yields abundant oil.[3] The carbohydrates that are formed in the tap root have led to the idea of growing the plant for biofuel.[4][5]

The fruit is consumed by both humans and animals. When mature, a stage marked by increasing desiccation of vine, leaves, fruit-stem, and fruit, the fruit begins its final gourd stage.

Geographic location and genetics make it highly likely that Cucurbita scabridifolia originated as a naturally occurring hybrid of C. foetidissima and Cucurbita pedatifolia.[6]

Morphology and cultivation

Cucurbita foetidissima requires little water and grows best in semiarid and arid environments.[7] Warm weather is required during the five- to eight-month vegetation period.[3][8] This perennial is well adapted to marginal agricultural lands such as sandy loam soils which have to be well-drained.[8][9] Germination temperature range is between 15 °C and 37 °C with an optimum at 25 °C.[10]

The maximum depth for a successful germination is 12 cm.[10] The germination is possible in a pH range from 2.2 (germination rate 15%) up to pH 8 (germination rate 90%).[10] Asexual propagation is possible from nodal roots.[8]

The leaves of the buffalo gourd are typically entire and heart-shaped with a base of Script error: No such module "convert". and length of Script error: No such module "convert".. The flowers are borne singly at the nodes of the vines after a certain amount of annual vegetative growth has taken place.[3]

The fruit has a diameter of Script error: No such module "convert"..[10] The fruit weighs 120 g to 150 g, with 292 to 315 seeds per fruit.[3] The seeds, which are Script error: No such module "convert". long and Script error: No such module "convert". wide, weigh about 4 g per 100 seeds,[8] with the seed coat accounting for about 30% of the seed weight.[3] The seeds often remain viable for months or even years within an undamaged gourd.[3] One hectare of plants can produce 2.5 tons of seed.[8]

The plant forms a fleshy tap root that is used as a storage and overwintering structure.[10] The central tap root can weigh up to Script error: No such module "convert".. A four-year-old root grown under cultivation can reach a fresh weight of Script error: No such module "convert". and a length of Script error: No such module "convert"..[3]

Taxonomy

Cucurbita foetidissima was scientifically described and named by the botanist Carl Sigismund Kunth in 1817.[11][12]

Names

Common Names for Cucurbita foetidissima
Language of Origin Common Name
English buffalo gourd,[2]
Spanish calabazilla [2]
Spanish chilicote [2]
English coyote gourd [2]
English prairie gourd [13]
English fetid gourd [2]
English fetid wild pumpkin [2]
English Missouri gourd [2]
English stinking gourd
English wild gourd [2]
English wild pumpkin [2]

Distribution

Cucurbita foetidissima is native to North America. It is found in the central and southwestern United States,[14] in: Arizona, Arkansas, southern California, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, southern Nebraska, southern Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and southern Utah.[13][15] In Mexico, it can be found in Aguascalientes, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo; northern Jalisco, Mexico; Nuevo León, Querétaro, San Luis Potosí, Sonora, Tamaulipas, and Zacatecas.

Uses

The buffalo gourd has the potential of being a crop adapted to arid to semiarid lands.[3] It is also used as a durable groundcover for hiding and protecting banks from erosion.[16]

Food

The fresh young gourd can be eaten like squash. The mature fruit is no longer edible, due to bitter compounds. Seeds may be eaten after being prepared by roasting or boiling.[17]

The extractable oil content in whole seeds reaches from 24.3%[3] to 50%.[7] Linoleic acid, an essential polyunsaturated fatty acid, comprises 38% to 65% of the oil.[3] A characterization of the oils from buffalo gourd indicates that this oil is similar to other common edible oils.[18] Whole buffalo gourd seeds contain approximately 31% crude protein, which is usable for human consumption and for feed.

Starches are mainly located in the tap root, which forms after the first year of growth. The starch content in the dried root is between 47.5%[9] and 56%.[3] Fresh leaves or the whole plants can be used as animal food.

Traditional use

The Zuni people use a medicinal poultice of powdered seeds, flowers and saliva for swellings.[19]

C. foetidissima contains a saponin that can be obtained from the fruit and root. In the Cahuilla Native American culture, the fruit and other parts of the plant have been used for their saponin content as laundry soap by rubbing plant parts against dirty clothing.[20] However, prolonged contact can cause skin irritation.[21][22]

Industrial use

Besides food, the protein can be used for industrial purposes (water paints, paper coating, adhesives and textile sizing).[3][8] Biodiesel can be produced from the oil in the seeds.[23] But the main interest to produce renewable fuels is to produce biofuel with the carbohydrates which are located in the tap root.

Pests

Various insects may penetrate the hard skin of the gourd. External structures appear to prevent damage by most insects and the plant is highly resistant to cucumber beetle and squash bug.[8] White molds seem to result in smooth surface areas and black molds often form circular patterns.

Gallery

References

<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />

  1. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  2. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j Script error: No such module "citation/CS1". Cucurbita foetidissima was originally described and published in Nova Genera et Species Plantarum (quarto ed.) 2: 123. 1817.
  3. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  4. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  5. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  6. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  7. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  8. ↑ a b c d e f g Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  9. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  10. ↑ a b c d e Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  11. ↑ Cite error: Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".
  12. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  13. ↑ a b Template:GRIN
  14. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  15. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  16. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  17. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  18. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  19. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  20. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  21. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".Template:Link note
  22. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  23. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".

Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

External links

Template:Sister project

Template:Squashes and pumpkins Template:Taxonbar

Retrieved from "http://debianws.lexgopc.com/wiki143/index.php?title=Cucurbita_foetidissima&oldid=4056974"