| Classification |
| Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order Type: Eudicots-Rosids I
Order: Cucurbitales
Family: Cucurbitaceae
Family Common Name: Gourd Family
Genera: Cucurbita |
Defining Features: Leaf axil
often has branched or lateral tendril, vegetative and reproductive buds.
Defining Morphology: Floral
Features: Inflorescences are determinate, axillary and sometimes reduced
to a solitary flower. Flower usually yellow, unisexual with campanulate
corolla and hypantium. The plants are monoecious or dioecious. Ovaries
are inferior or half-inferior with parietal placentation. Fruit and Seed
Features: Dicotyledon. Fruits is a berry, pepo or a capsule. Seeds are
more or less flattened. Vegetative Features: As herbaceous tendril-bearing
vines. Leaves are alternate, entire or palmately lobed with palmate venation.
Leaves often hairy and rough. Estipulate.
Distribution: Tropical and
subtropical regions and few in temperate areas.
Economic Use: As fruits and
vegetable crops. Some genera are used medicinally.
Number of Genera Globally:
118
Number of Species Globally:
825
