Cucurbita pepo (Field Pumpkin) (2025)

1- Introduction to the Species Cucurbita pepo - Field Pumpkin

1.1- Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Cucurbitales
Family: Cucurbitaceae
Subfamily: Cucurbitoideae
Tribe: Cucurbiteae
Genus: Cucurbita
Species: Cucurbita pepo L.

1.2- Species Cucurbita pepo - Field Pumpkin
+ Overview
Cucurbita pepois also called field pumpkin, summer squash, zucchini, vegetable marrow, courgette, acorn squash.
Cucurbita pepois a cultivated plant of the genus Cucurbita. It yields varieties ofwinter squashand pumpkin, but the most widespread varieties belong to Cucurbita peposubsp.pepo, calledsummer squash.
It has been domesticated in the New World for thousands of years.TheZuni peoplehave several uses for this plant. Some authors maintain thatCucurbita pepo is derived fromCucurbita texana, while others suggest thatCucurbita texanais merelyferalCucurbita pepo.They have a wide variety of uses, especially as a food source and for medical conditions.Cucurbita peposeems to more closely related toCucurbita fraterna, though disagreements exist about the exact nature of that connection, too.
Cucurbitapepois one of the oldest, if not the oldest, domesticated species with the oldest known locations beingOaxaca, Mexico, 8,000-10,000 years ago, andOcampo, Tamaulipas, Mexico, about 7,000 years ago. It is known to have appeared inMissouri, United States, at least 4,000 years ago.Debates about the origin ofCucurbitapepohave been on-going since at least 1857.There have traditionally been two opposing theories about its origin:
1) that it is a direct descendant ofCucurbitatexanaand
2) thatCucurbitatexanais merelyferal Cucurbitapepo.
A more recent theory by botanist Thomas Andres in 1987 is that descendants ofCucurbitafraternahybridized withCucurbitatexana,resulting in two distinct domestication events in two different areas: one in Mexico and one in the eastern United States, withCucurbitafraterna andCucurbitatexana, respectively, as the ancestral species.
Cucurbitapepomay have appeared in the Old World before moving from Mexico into South America.It is found from sea level to slightly above 2,000 meters (6,600ft).
+ Names
- Scientific name:Cucurbita pepoL.
- Common names in English:pumpkin, field pumpkin, summer squash, autumn squash, marrow, zucchini, courgette, crookneck, pattypan, scallop squash, acorn squash, spaghetti squash, pomion, ornamental gourd.
+ Synomyms
Citrullus variegatusSchrad. ex M.Roem.
Cucumis pepo(L.) Dumort.
Cucumis zapalloSteud.
Cucurbita aurantiaWilld.
Cucurbita ceratocerasHaberle ex Mart.
Cucurbita clodiensisNocca.
Cucurbita courgeroSer.
Cucurbita elongataBean ex Schrad.
Cucurbita esculentaGray.
Cucurbita fastuosaSalisb.
Cucurbita griseaM.Roem.
Cucurbita hybridaBertol. ex Naudin.
Cucurbita lignosaMill.
Cucurbita mammeataMolina.
Cucurbita mammosaJ.F.Gmel.
Cucurbita marsupiiformis Haberle ex M.Roem.[Invalid]
Cucurbita melopepoL.
Cucurbita oblongaLink.
Cucurbita polymorpha Duchesne.
Cucurbita pomiformisM.Roem.
Cucurbita pyridarisDuchesne ex Poir.
Cucurbita pyxidarisDC.
Cucurbita subverrucosaWilld.
Cucurbita succadoNägeli ex Naudin.
Cucurbita succedoArn.
Cucurbita tuberculosaSchrad.
Cucurbita urnigeraSchrad.
Cucurbita variegataSteud.
Cucurbita venosaDescourt.
Cucurbita verrucosaL.
Pepo citrullusSageret.
Pepo potironSageret.
Pepo vulgarisMoench.
+ Cultivar groups
In 1986, botanist Paris proposed a taxonomy ofCucurbita pepoconsisting of eight edible groups based on their basic shape. All but a fewCucurbita pepocultivars can be included in these groups. These eight edible cultivated varieties ofCucurbita pepovary widely in shape and color, and one inedible cultivated variety:

2- Characteristics of the Species Cucurbita pepo

2.1- Description
Due to their varied genetic background, members ofCucurbita pepovary widely in appearance, primarily in regards to their fruits.
WithinCucurbita pepo, the pumpkins, scallops, and possibly crooknecks are ancient and were domesticated separately. The domesticated species have larger fruits and larger yet fewer seeds.Parthenocarpyis known to occur in certain cultivars ofCucurbita pepo.
+ The Plant
They are found from sea level to slightly above 2,000m (6,600ft).
Cucurbita pepohas creeping plants which are compact or semi-shrubby, annual, monoecious and pubescent-scabrous.
The plants are typically 1.0-2.5 feet high, 2-3 feet wide, and have yellow flowers.
Stems and leaves of many cultivars bear fine, glassy prickles.
Tendrils have two to six branchlets, or are simple and little developed tendrils in the semi-shrubby types.
+ The Leaves
The leaves are broadly ovate-cordate to triangular-cordate. They have 3-5 lobes and are 20-35 centimeters (8-14in) wide, with or without white spots, often with three to five deep lobules, and with denticulate to serrate denticulate margins.
The leaf colors are solid dark green or yellow-green or with grey-green markings. Long leaf-stalks hold the leaf blades above flowers and fruits.
+ The Flowers
Separate male and female flowers are borne on the same plant. The flowers are large, showy, bright yellow/orange.
It has pentamerous, solitary, axillary flowers, the males of which have pedicels 7 to 20 cm in length, a campanulate calyx of 9 to 12 mm, linear sepals of 12 to 25 x 1 to 2 mm, a tubular/campanulate corolla, 5 to 10 cm long, which is divided into five for up to one-third or more of its length; and three stamens.
The female flowers have sturdy, sulcated pedicels of 2 to 5 cm; the ovary is globose, oblate, ovoid, cylindrical, rarely piriform, smooth, ribbed or verrucose and multilocular; and the calyx is very small.
+ The Fruits
The fruit stems (peduncles) are not corky and are ridged all around, widening slightly at the base.
The fruit is very variable in size, shape, colour and texture: smooth to heavily ribbed, often verrucose and rarely smooth, with a rigid skin varying in colour from light to dark green, plain to minutely speckled with cream or green contrasting with yellow, orange or two-coloured.
The flesh is pulpy, cream to yellowish or pale orange; it ranges from soft and not bitter to fibrous and bitter. Fruits of wild plants are normally bitter.
+ The Seeds
The fruit has numerous seeds which are narrowly or broadly elliptical or rarely orbicular, slightly flattened and 3 to 20 x 4 to 12 mm, with one end slightly more pointed than the other.

2.2- Origin and Distribution
+ Origin
Cucurbita pepois native to North America (northeastern Mexico and southern USA).
+ Distribution
Cucurbitapepois one of the oldest, if not the oldest, domesticated species with the oldest known locations beingOaxaca, Mexico, 8,000-10,000 years ago, andOcampo, Tamaulipas, Mexico, about 7,000 years ago. It is known to have appeared inMissouri, United States, at least 4,000 years ago.
A vine native to Mexico and the USA, Cucurbita pepo has been domesticated for thousands of years and is the source of an astonishing variety of cultivated forms, including Halloween pumpkins, courgettes (zucchini) and squashes.
Cucurbita pepohas been cultivated for its edible fruits for thousands of years and remains a crop plant of great economic importance today.

2.3- Taxonomy of the Species Cucurbita pepo
+ Overview
Themorphologicaldifferences within the speciesCucurbita pepoare so vast, its various subspecies andcultivars have been misidentified as totally separate species. These vast differences are rooted in its widespread geographic distribution.Cucurbita pepois one of the oldest, if not the oldest domesticated species.The oldest known locations are in southern Mexico inOaxaca 8,000-10,000 years ago andOcampo, Tamaulipas, Mexico about 7,000 years ago.Its ancient territory extended north intoTexasand up theGreater Mississippi River ValleyintoIllinoisand east to Florida, and possibly even to Maine.It is known to have appeared inMissouriat least 4,000 years ago.Some varieties grow in arid regions and some in moist regions.
+ Recent taxonomy
In 1986, botanist Paris proposed a taxonomy ofCucurbita pepoconsisting of eight edible groups based on their basic shape.All but a fewCucurbita pepocultivars can be included in these groups.These eight edible cultivated varieties ofCucurbita pepovary widely in shape and color,and one inedible cultivated variety:

1- Cultivar group: Acorn
Botanical name: Cucurbita pepovar. turbinata
Description:
Acorn squash(Cucurbita pepovar. turbinata), also calledpepper squashorDes Moines squash, is awinter squashwith distinctive longitudinal ridges and sweet, yellow-orange flesh. Although considered awinter squash, acorn squash belongs to the same species as all summer squashes(includingzucchiniandyellow crookneck squash). Acorn Squash is commonly mistaken as a gourd.
The most common variety is dark green in color, often with a single splotch of orange on the side or top. However, newer varieties have arisen, including Golden Acorn, so named for its glowing yellow colour, as well as varieties that are white. Acorn squashes can also be variegated (multi-colored).As the name suggests, its shape resembles that of anacorn.

Cocozelle von tripolis

Yellow crookneck squash

3- Cultivar group: Crookneck
Botanical name: Cucurbita pepovar.torticollia
Description:
This is a summer squash, shrubby plant, with yellow, golden, or white fruit which is long and curved at the end and generally has a verrucose (wart-covered) rind,ex:Yellow crookneck squash.

Pumpkin

4- Cultivar group: Pumpkin
Botanical name: Cucurbita pepovar. pepo
Description:
This is a winter squash, creeping plant, round, oblate, or oval shape and round or flat on the ends,ex:Pumpkin;includesCucurbita peposubsp.pepovar.styriaca, used for Styrianpumpkin seed oil.

Pattypan squash

5- Cultivar group: Scallop
Botanical name: Cucurbita pepovar. clypeata; calledCucurbita melopepoby Linnaeus Description:
This is a summer squash, prefers half-shrubby habitat, flattened or slightly discoidal shape, with undulations or equatorial edges,ex: Pattypan squash.

Yellow summer squash

6- Cultivar group: Straightneck
Botanical name: Cucurbita pepovar. recticollis
Description:
This is a summer squash, shrubby plant, with yellow or golden fruit and verrucose rind, similar to var.torticolliabut a stem end that narrows,ex:Yellow summer squash.

Spaghetti squash

7- Cultivar group: Vegetable marrow
Botanical name: Cucurbita pepovar. fastigata
Description:
This is a summer and winter squashes, creeper traits and a semi-shrub, cream to dark green color, short round fruit with a slightly broad apex, ex:Spaghetti squash(a winter variety).

Zucchini

8- Cultivar group: Zucchini
Botanical name: Cucurbita pepovar. cylindrica Description:
This is a summer squash, presently the most common group of cultivars, origin is recent (19th century), semi-shrubby, cylindrical fruit with a mostly consistent diameter, similar to fastigata, ex:Zucchini.

Ornamental gourd

9- Cultivar group: Ornamental gourds
Botanical name: Cucurbita pepovar. ovifera, var. aurantiaand var. verrucosa Description:
This is a non-edible,field pumpkins closely related toCucurbita texana, vine habitat, thin stems, small leaves…
There are three sub-groups:
1- Cucurbita pepovar.ovifera (egg-shaped, pear-shaped),
2- Cucurbita pepovar. aurantia(orange color), and
3- Cucurbita pepovar. verrucosa(round warty gourds), ornamental gourds found in Texas and called var.texana and ornamental gourds found outside of Texas (Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana) are called var.ozarkana.

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