''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 in 1876. There is disagreement about whether this is a separate species from ''Cucurbita palmata''. In 1883 botan ...

'', ''

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. Thes ...

'', ''

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. The ...

'', 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 Ancient Greek language, 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 pl ...

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 an ...

''. Each member of this species group is native to the

Southwestern United States The Southwestern United States, also known as the American Southwest or simply the Southwest, is a geographic and cultural region of the United States that generally includes Arizona, New Mexico, and adjacent portions of California, Colorado, N ...

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 Sonora (), officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora ( en, Free and Sovereign State of Sonora), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. The state is divided into 72 municipalities; the ...

, 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, New Mexico, Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque, New Mexico, Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Albuquerque metropolitan area, Tiguex , Offi ...

. 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 In biology, two related species or populations are considered sympatric when they exist in the same geographic area and thus frequently encounter one another. An initially interbreeding population that splits into two or more distinct species s ...

, 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 Asa Gray (November 18, 1810 – January 30, 1888) is considered the most important American botanist of the 19th century. His ''Darwiniana'' was considered an important explanation of how religion and science were not necessarily mutually excl ...

in 1853.

Description

''Cucurbita digitata'' is a hairy vining plant with sharply

palmate The following is a list of terms which are used to describe leaf morphology in the description and taxonomy of plants. Leaves may be simple (a single leaf blade or lamina) or compound (with several leaflets). The edge of the leaf may be regular ...

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