''Cucurbita argyrosperma'', also called the cushaw squash and silver-seed gourd, is a species of

winter squash Winter squash is an annual fruit representing several squash species within the genus ''Cucurbita''. Late-growing, less symmetrical, odd-shaped, rough or warty varieties, small to medium in size, but with long-keeping qualities and hard rinds, are ...

originally from the south of

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

. This

annual Annual may refer to: *Annual publication, periodical publications appearing regularly once per year ** Yearbook ** Literary annual *Annual plant *Annual report *Annual giving *Annual, Morocco, a settlement in northeastern Morocco *Annuals (band), ...

herbaceous plant Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent wood, woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennial plant, perennials, and nearly all Annual plant, annuals and Biennial plant, biennials. Definition ...

is cultivated in the

Americas The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. Along with th ...

for its nutritional value: its flowers, shoots, and fruits are all harvested, but it is cultivated most of all for its seeds, which are used for sauces. It was formerly known as ''Cucurbita mixta''. It is a ''

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 ...

'' species, with varieties that are commonly cultivated in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

as part of the

Eastern Agricultural Complex The Eastern Agricultural Complex in the woodlands of eastern North America was one of about 10 independent centers of plant domestication in the pre-historic world. Incipient agriculture dates back to about 5300 BCE. By about 1800 BCE the Native ...

and

south to

Nicaragua Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Managua is the countr ...

. Of all the cultivated ''Cucurbita'' species it is the least found outside the Americas. It originated in

Mesoamerica Mesoamerica is a historical region and cultural area in southern North America and most of Central America. It extends from approximately central Mexico through Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and northern Costa Rica ...

, most likely in the state of Jalisco, from from its wild ''sororia'' form. The reference genome of this species was published in 2019.

Description

The flowers are orange or yellow and bloom in July or August. The plant grows about 1 foot high and spreads 10–15 feet. It likes well drained soil and has both male and female flowers. Fruits can weigh up to 20 pounds. The published results of an interspecific hybridization experiment in 1990 noted that as of that time ''Cucurbita argyrosperma'' was often grown in close proximity to ''

Cucurbita moschata ''Cucurbita moschata'' is a species originating in either Central America or northern South America. It includes cultivars known as squash or pumpkin. ''C. moschata'' cultivars are generally more tolerant of hot, humid weather than cultivars of ...

'' in Guatemala and

Systematics

''Cucurbita argyrosperma'' is classified into two subspecies: ''C. argyrosperma subsp. argyrosperma'' and ''C. argyrosperma subsp. sororia''. ''C. argyrosperma subsp. sororia'' is believed to be the wild ancestor of the other forms. ''C. argyrosperma subsp. argyrosperma'' is further subdivided into ''C. argyrosperma subsp. argyrosperma var. argyrosperma'' , ''C. argyrosperma subsp. argyrosperma var. callicarpa'', ''C. argyrosperma subsp. argyrosperma var. palmieri'', and ''C. argyrosperma subsp. argyrosperma var. stenosperma''.

Subspecies Argyrosperma var. Palmieri

''Cucurbita argyrosperma subsp. argyrosperma var. palmeri'' was formerly considered a separate species within

. It is found from the Pacific coast of northwestern

. It was originally formally described by Liberty Hyde Bailey in 1943, in ''Gentes Herbarum''.

Subspecies Sororia

''Cucurbita argyrosperma subsp. sororia'' was at one time considered a separate species within

. It ranges from northern

, mostly along the Pacific coast. This species was also considered at one time to be closely related to ''

Cucurbita texana ''Cucurbita pepo'' is a cultivated plant of the genus ''Cucurbita''. It yields varieties of winter squash and pumpkin, but the most widespread varieties belong to the subspecies ''Cucurbita pepo'' subsp. ''pepo'', called summer squash. It has ...

'' with which it hybridizes well. It was originally described formally described by Liberty Hyde Bailey in 1943, in ''Gentes Herbarum''. In 1948, ''Cucurbita kellyana'' was described as an independent species, but this taxa is now considered a synonym for ''sororia.''

Cultivars

''Variety'' is used here interchangeably with ''cultivar'', but not with ''species'' or taxonomic variety. *

Campeche squash Campeche (; yua, Kaampech ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Campeche ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Campeche), is one of the 31 states which make up the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. Located in southeast Mexico, it is bordered by ...

- Cultivated for seed rather than flesh * Green-Striped cushaw, Green Crookneck, or Brother Jonathan pumpkin *

Japanese pie pumpkin Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspo ...

Jonathan pumpkin Jonathan may refer to: *Jonathan (name), a masculine given name Media * ''Jonathan'' (1970 film), a German film directed by Hans W. Geißendörfer * ''Jonathan'' (2016 film), a German film directed by Piotr J. Lewandowski * ''Jonathan'' (2018 ...

White crookneck pumpkin White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

- Available commercially as early as 1891 by

Livingston Seed Livingston may refer to: Businesses * Livingston Energy Flight, an Italian airline (2003–2010) * Livingston Compagnia Aerea, an Italian airline (2011–2014), also known as Livingston Airline * Livingston International, a North American cust ...

* Orange-Striped cushaw squash'

Uses

Food

The flowers, stems, shoots, and unripe fruits of the plant are consumed as vegetables. In the south of Mexico, the wild, more bitter varieties are used in this same way, once washed and cleaned to eliminate cucurbitin. The ripe fruit is grilled to make pies or used to feed animals. The seeds yield an edible oil. It is also grown in the

Sonoran Desert The Sonoran Desert ( es, Desierto de Sonora) is a desert in North America and ecoregion that covers the northwestern Mexican states of Sonora, Baja California, and Baja California Sur, as well as part of the southwestern United States (in Ariz ...

region of the Southwestern United States and Northwestern Mexico by native peoples, especially the Tohono O'odham, where it is especially prized when immature as a summer squash.

Medicinal properties

''Cucurbita argyrosperma'' also has medicinal properties. A liquid emulsion of its seed can act as a

vermifuge Anthelmintics or antihelminthics are a group of antiparasitic drugs that expel parasitic worms (helminths) and other internal parasites from the body by either stunning or killing them and without causing significant damage to the host. They may ...

, and the subsequent use of a

laxative Laxatives, purgatives, or aperients are substances that loosen stools and increase bowel movements. They are used to treat and prevent constipation. Laxatives vary as to how they work and the side effects they may have. Certain stimulant, lubri ...

can effect an expulsion of parasitic worms. The

Yucatán Yucatán (, also , , ; yua, Yúukatan ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Yucatán,; yua, link=no, Xóot' Noj Lu'umil Yúukatan. is one of the 31 states which comprise the federal entities of Mexico. It comprises 106 separate mun ...

peasantry has traditionally used the flesh of ''Cucurbita argyrosperma'' to tend burns, sores, and eczema, while the seeds have been used with the aim of promoting

lactation Lactation describes the secretion of milk from the mammary glands and the period of time that a mother lactates to feed her young. The process naturally occurs with all sexually mature female mammals, although it may predate mammals. The proces ...

in nursing women, and provide pain relief.

References

External links

* argyrosperma Squashes and pumpkins Flora of the Southwestern United States Flora of Northwestern Mexico Flora of Nicaragua Crops originating from Pre-Columbian North America {{Cucurbitales-stub