''Cucurbita okeechobeensis'', the Okeechobee gourd, is a species of

gourd Gourds include the fruits of some flowering plant species in the family Cucurbitaceae, particularly ''Cucurbita'' and '' Lagenaria''. The term refers to a number of species and subspecies, many with hard shells, and some without. One of the ear ...

in the family

Cucurbitaceae The Cucurbitaceae, also called cucurbits or the gourd family, are a plant family consisting of about 965 species in around 95 genera, of which the most important to humans are: *''Cucurbita'' – squash, pumpkin, zucchini, some gourds *'' Lagen ...

, native to Mexico and the United States. There are two subspecies; one is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

, primarily in the region around

Lake Okeechobee Lake Okeechobee (), also known as Florida's Inland Sea, is the largest freshwater lake in the U.S. state of Florida. It is the tenth largest natural freshwater lake among the 50 states of the United States and the second-largest natural freshwa ...

, the other to the State of

Veracruz Veracruz (), formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave), is one of the 31 states which, along with Me ...

in eastern Mexico. Once abundant, it has state and federal listing as an endangered species. One of its peculiarities is the yellow corolla not so common in other ''Cucurbita'' species.

Description

A climbing vine, ''C. okeechobeensis'' leaves have irregular serrate margins with 5 to 7 angular, shallow lobes. Overall the leaf blades are heart or kidney-shaped. Young leaves are covered with downy hair. The bell-shaped flowers are cream-colored, with long corollas (6 to 7cm). Cucurbita okeechobeensis male flower 01.jpg, Male flower at anthesis Cucurbita okeechobeensis female flower.jpg, Female flower at anthesis

Taxonomy

The

taxonomy Taxonomy is the practice and science of categorization or classification. A taxonomy (or taxonomical classification) is a scheme of classification, especially a hierarchical classification, in which things are organized into groups or types. ...

of the species and subspecies is uncertain. It was formerly classified as ''Pepo okeechobeensis''.''Pepo okeechobeensis'' - Small, J. New York Bot. Gard. 31: 12. 1930. Some authorities divide it into two subspecies: * ''Cucurbita okeechobeensis'' subsp. ''martinezii'' — Martinez gourd, - State 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 ...

*''Cucurbita okeechobeensis'' subsp. ''okeechobeensis'' — Okeechobee gourd - State of

in United States

Ecology

It was often found growing on abandoned

alligator An alligator is a large reptile in the Crocodilia order in the genus ''Alligator'' of the family Alligatoridae. The two extant species are the American alligator (''A. mississippiensis'') and the Chinese alligator (''A. sinensis''). Additiona ...

nests in pond apple ('' Annona glabra'') groves near

References

External links

University of South Florida Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants — species account and distributionCenter for Plant Conservation
{{Taxonbar, from=Q5192448 okeechobeensis Flora of Florida Flora of Veracruz Squashes and pumpkins Vines Plants described in 1930 Endangered biota of Mexico Endangered flora of the United States