''Cucurbita digitata'' is a species of flowering plant in the squash family known by the common names fingerleaf gourd and bitter squash. It is similar to ''

Cucurbita californica ''Cucurbita californica'' is a species of flowering plant in the squash family. The species was first identified by Sereno Watson Sereno Watson (December 1, 1826 in East Windsor Hill, Connecticut – March 9, 1892 in Cambridge, Massachusett ...

'', ''

Cucurbita cordata ''Cucurbita cordata'' is a species of flowering plant in the squash family. It is similar to '' Cucurbita californica'', '' Cucurbita cylindrata'', '' Cucurbita digitata'', and '' Cucurbita palmata'' and all these species hybridize readily. The ...

'', ''

Cucurbita cylindrata ''Cucurbita cylindrata'' is a species of flowering plant in the squash family. It is similar to ''Cucurbita californica'', ''Cucurbita cordata'', ''Cucurbita digitata'', and ''Cucurbita palmata'' and all these species hybridize readily. These s ...

'', and ''

Cucurbita palmata ''Cucurbita palmata'' is a species of flowering plant in the squash family known by the common names coyote melon and coyote gourd. It is similar to '' Cucurbita californica'', '' Cucurbita cordata'', '' Cucurbita cylindrata'', and '' Cucurbit ...

'' and all these species hybridize readily. These species form the only restricted

xerophyte A xerophyte (from Greek ξηρός ''xeros'' 'dry' + φυτόν ''phuton'' 'plant') is a species of plant that has adaptations to survive in an environment with little liquid water, such as a desert such as the Sahara or places in the Alps or the ...

species group In biology, a species complex is a group of closely related organisms that are so similar in appearance and other features that the boundaries between them are often unclear. The taxa in the complex may be able to hybridize readily with each oth ...

in the genus ''

Cucurbita ''Cucurbita'' (Latin for gourd) is a genus of herbaceous fruits in the gourd family, Cucurbitaceae (also known as ''cucurbits'' or ''cucurbi''), native to the Andes and Mesoamerica. Five edible species are grown and consumed for their flesh and ...

''. Each member of this species group is native to the Southwestern United States and Northwestern Mexico where they are relatively uncommon. Each group member is found in hot, arid regions with low rainfall. They prefer soil that is loose, gravelly, and well-drained. ''C. digitata'' is native to northern

Baja California Baja California (; 'Lower California'), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Baja California ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California), is a state in Mexico. It is the northernmost and westernmost of the 32 federal entities of Mex ...

at higher elevations, northern Sonora, Mexico, southern

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

, and southwestern

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ke ...

. The juvenile leaves of ''C. cylindrata'', ''C. cordata'', ''C. digitata'', and ''C. palmata'' show a high degree of similarity, but their mature leaves are visibly different, as are their root structures. ''C. palmata'' and ''C. digitata'' are sympatric, with ''C. palmata'' separating the ranges of ''C. digitata'' at the juncture of Baja California, California, and Arizona. ''C. digitata'' fruits are clear green mottle that turns yellow at maturity, striped, and round. It was first identified by Asa Gray in 1853.

Description

''Cucurbita digitata'' is a hairy vining plant with sharply palmate leaves having five fingerlike lobes. It is quite similar in appearance to its close relative, the coyote gourd ''

'', but the lobes of its leaves are usually more slender. It has curling yellow flowers up to 5 centimeters wide. The fruit is a dark green squash, rounded or nearly rounded, with mottling and distinct white stripes. The bitter fruit is very distasteful and generally not edible, although a few animals may hesitantly eat the flesh while trying to get at the seeds. Each white seed is about a centimeter long and at 35% protein and 50% fat is a nutritious food.

References

External links

Jepson Manual Treatment: ''Cucurbita digitata''Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Profile
{{Taxonbar, from=Q5192446 digitata Vines Flora of Northwestern Mexico Flora of the Southwestern United States Flora of California Flora of Sonora Flora of the Sonoran Deserts North American desert flora Flora of the California desert regions Natural history of the Peninsular Ranges Plants described in 1853 Taxa named by Asa Gray Squashes and pumpkins