Considering the importance of pollen morphology in the delimitation and systematics of taxonomic groups, the cucurbitaceae, a palynological study of the representatives was undertaken, with the aim of finding additional characters that might prove useful in the circumscription of the species so far recognized. Genera most commonly grown include cucurbita squash and pumpkin. Considering the importance of pollen morphology in the delimitation and systematics of taxonomic groups, the cucurbitaceae, a palynological study of the representatives was undertaken, with the aim of finding additional characters that might prove useful in the circumscription of. Seeds or fruit parts of some cucurbits are reported to possess purgatives, emetics and antihelmintics properties due to the secondary metabolite. The genus dendrosicyos, which is found on the island of socotra, consists of treelike forms. Within this family, the genus cucurbita stands out as one of the most important. Pdf the family cucurbitaceae includes a large group of plants which are medicinally. List of plants in the family cucurbitaceae britannica. But still this family is not considered much important medicinally and taken as vegetables and salads. The aerial parts of all species are sensitive to frost. Bennett encyclopedia of life support systemseolss compound leaves are alternate. Cucurbitaceae is a widespread family of 118122 genera and 900 species simpson 2010 of monoecious or dioecious herbs and erect shrubs. Cucurbitaceae, the gourd family of flowering plants, belonging to the order cucurbitales and containing 98 genera and about 975 species of food and ornamental plants.
There are some important economic crops in this family, encompassing. Family cucurbitaceae definition of family cucurbitaceae. Cucurbits are present in both the new and old world and are among the most important plant families. Cucurbitaceae definition is a family of chiefly herbaceous tendrilbearing vines order campanulales that are characterized by an inferior ovary and anthers usually united and that include food plants as the cucumber, melon, squash, and pumpkin, drug plants as the. Cucurbitaceae family plants are also in use in the folk medicinal system of bangladesha traditional medicinal system, which mainly relies on medicinal plants for treatment of diverse ailments. The cucurbitaceae family is well defined but taxonomically isolated from other plant families. The breeding programs for cucurbits in the public sector are only. Phylogenetic relationships in the order cucurbitales and a. Cucurbitaceae a family of a few shrubby members, but mostly of tendrilclimbing herbs 1 with weak, sappy stems and palmate 2 leaves. It is a distinct family without any close relatives. They are widely distributed in the tropics and warm temperate regions of south, southeast and east asia, including africa, madagascar, and central south america. Most of the plants in this family are annual vines, but some are woody lianas, thorny shrubs, or trees dendrosicyos. The cucurbitaceae family commonly known as the gourd family is an excellent example of a plant family with many economically.
Species of cucurbitaceae contained within the plant list belong to 126 plant genera. Anatomical evidences observed in the 14 species of the family cucurbitaceae seems to be enough diagnostic values for delimiting species and genera studied. The breeding programs for cucurbits in the public sector are only too few and do not have an adequate continuity. The use of microscopy techniques with different levels of resolution allows us to. A list of all accepted names in cucurbitaceae is available in csv format. The family is represented by about 110 genera and 560850 species sharma, 2004. The cucurbitaceae family commonly known as the gourd family is an excellent example of a plant family with many economically useful species. Squashes have been domesticated independently from five of these thirteen taxa. Cucumis muskmelon and cucumber, and citrullus watermelon. Biology and utilization of the cucurbitaceae on jstor.
The cucurbitaceae family is a mediumsized plant family, primarily found in the warmer regions of the world. The very small 5merous flowers have an inferior ovary composed of 25 connate carpels. But still this family is not considered much important medicinally and taken as. 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. Seeds or fruit parts of some cucurbits are reported to possess purgatives, emetics and antihelmintics properties due to the secondary metabolite cucurbitacin content. In a continuing effort to inform the west on chinese uses of the cucurbitaceae. The cucurbitaceae or vine crop family is a distinct family without any close relatives and includes many important vegetables such as cucumber, melon, watermelon, squash, pumpkin and gourds. The flowers are unisexual, often dioecious 3, with five petals 4 often joined below. The cucurbitaceae family ranks among the highest of plant families for number and percentage of species used as human food. The genuscucurbita consists of about thirteen species or species groups. Origin and domestication of cucurbitaceae crops new phytologist. The cucurbitaceae is a moderately large plant family of about.
Five of its species cucurbita argyrosperma huber, c. A family of great economic importance, yielding the worlds melons, squashes, pumpkins, cucumbers, and gourds. It is a family of economically important species, of which the fruits are used for nutritional and medicinal purposes jeffrey, 1990. They are native in most countries of the world, especially in the tropics, where they are cultivated in every country, state, and province. It is a family of about genera and about 800 species. The cucurbits cucurbitaceae, or gourd family, which include squash, pumpkin, melon, cucumber, and watermelon, have long been of economic significance. Cucurbit family bittermelon, wintermelon, moqua, sinqua.
Charles jeffrey4 1 state key laboratory of systematic and evolutionary botany, institute of botany, chinese academy of sciences, 20 nanxincun, xiangshan, beijing 93, peoples republic of china. Melons need light sandy soil high in organic matter. Herbs, annual or perennial, or weak, woody shrubs with watery sap, scandent or prostrate. The cucurbitaceae family possesses economically important species including cucumber, melon, watermelon, calabash, squash, and pumpkin. In india this family is represented by about 37 genera and 97 species. Seed coat diversity in some tribes of cucurbitaceae. These crops are members of the cucurbitaceae, or squash family. Cucurbitaceae definition is a family of chiefly herbaceous tendrilbearing vines order campanulales that are characterized by an inferior ovary and anthers usually united and that include food plants as the cucumber, melon, squash, and pumpkin, drug plants as the colocynth, and ornamental plants as the gourds. It is usually grown on a trellis system and is roughly about the size of a zucchini, but warty.
The morphological characterization of the melon species in. Family cucurbitaceae definition of family cucurbitaceae by. In a continuing effort to inform the west on chinese uses of the cucurbitaceae, we update a 1989 description of cucurbits in china with the inclusion of. Cucurbitaceae definition of cucurbitaceae by merriamwebster. The family cucurbitaceae is one of the most important in the angiosperm taxa. Members of the family are annual or perennial herbs native to temperate and tropical areas and include cucumbers, gourds, melons. A family of annual and perennial climbers or creepers, usually with tendrils and a rough indumentum.
Germplasm of cucurbitaceae in brazil in brazil, where all important species for the cucurbit agribusiness came from abroad, there are no wild relatives of some importance as source of genetic variation. Cucurbitaceae is a plant family commonly known as melons, gourds or cucurbits. There are no page or colour charges and a pdf version will be provided for each. The following is a list of some important members of family cucurbitaceae, arranged alphabetically. What do you mean by family cucurbitaceae and explain its. Origin and evolution of cultivated cucurbits scielo. Plant anatomy has been found to be very essential in plant taxonomy. Cucurbits are the popular name of the family cucurbitaceae, commonly known as the gourd family.
Cucurbitaceae 2000eucarpia vii israel 2000 1st international oil pumpkin conference austria 1999 cucurbitaceae 98 asilomar, california 1998. Thus, authors have attempted to provide importance to this family of the plants by subjecting them to anticancer studies. The domestication of cucurbita cucurbitaceae springerlink. Exploring possible anticancer potential of some plants of. Ethnobotany and the economic role of the cucurbitaceae of china. Discussion anatomical evidences observed in the 14 species of the family cucurbitaceae seems to be enough diagnostic values for delimiting species and genera studied. Flower development and pollen morphology in cucurbitaceae. Cucurbitaceae a family of dicotyledonous plants including climbing and trailing herbs and, less commonly, subshrubs. There are nearly 100 genera and more than 750 species in the family, cucurbitaceae juss. This family is particularly important economically because its fruits are edible. The plant list includes 3,801 scientific plant names of species rank for the family cucurbitaceae. Cucurbits are an excellent fruit in nature having composition of all the essential constituents required for good health of humans9,10.
Members of the family cucurbitaceae are native in most countries, but the earliest records of people dining on these vegetables comes from mexico where caches of squash seeds more than 9,000 years old have been found. The family cucurbitaceae includes a large group of crops like cucumbers, and melon which are medicinally essential. The family cucurbitaceae belongs to the order cucurbitales, class magnoliopsida subclass rosidae. The family cucurbitaceae ranks among the highest of plant families for number and percentage of species used as human food. Cucurbit family bittermelon, wintermelon, moqua, sinqua, opo, kabocha, and snake gourd bittermelon mormodica charantia. Cucurbit crop growth and development purdue university. Cucurbits belong to the family cucurbitaceae and consist of about genera and 800 species, according to the last taxonomic treatment of jeffrey 1.
Family cucurbitaceae has long played important role in economic affairs of man. The family is mainly distributed in tropical and subtropical regions with relatively few species reaching the temperate regions of the world. The study of floral morphology in cucurbitaceae is very important given the broad agronomic implications of this family and the frequent fertilization and fruit set problems present among their members. General characters, distribution, important plants, economic importance and floral diagram. The cucurbitaceae consists of many important food plants such as melon, pumpkin, squash, cucumber. The members are chiefly inhabitants of tropical regions.
Citrullus watermelon cucurbita pumpkin, squash, gourd cucumis cucumber, canteloupe, muskmelon medicinal uses members of the cucurbitaceae have been used for a variety of ailments. Introduction the different species of cucurbitaceae have served. General characters, distribution, important plants. Exploring possible anticancer potential of some plants of cucurbitaceae family. Cucurbits belong to the family cucurbitaceae and consist of about 118 genera and 825 species, according to the last taxonomic treatment of jeffrey 1990. Diagnostic significance of leaf epidermal features in the. Its edible fruits were amongst the earliest cultivated plants in both the old and new worlds. The family has 110 genera and 850 species out of which 86 species are found in india. Cucurbitaceae simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Anatomic study in certain genera of family cucurbitaceae. The cucurbitaceae is divided into two families on the basis of whether or not the styles are free and seeds winged or not. Unesco eolss sample chapters economic botany twentyfive economically important plant families b. Cucurbitaceae hu lu ke lu anmin lu anming1, huang luqi 2, chen shukun 3.
The plants of the family are collectively known as cucurbits. The tendrils are coiled spirally, and arise beside the leaf bases. Mainly in moist to dry tropical and subtropical regions. The cucurbitaceae is one of the three most important families in that country as sources of vegetables.
Many species are cultivated and of economic importance as food plants, including pumpkin, watermelon, cucumber and melon. Many of the indian species, such as actinostemma, gynostemma, hemsleya, indofevillea, momordica and siraitia belong to old and phylogenetically isolated lineages. The family cucurbitaceae consists of about 120 genera and more than 800 species. Members of the family are annual or perennial herbs native to temperate and tropical areas and include cucumbers, gourds, melons, squashes, and. Critical watering times are during flowering and as fruit develops. Ethnobotany and the economic role of the cucurbitaceae of. The genera included in the family are of food, medicinal as well as useful for other purposes. It includes crops such as cucumbers, squashes including pumpkins, luffas, melons and watermelons. The family cucurbitaceae includes a large group of plants which are medicinally valuable. China, as one of the ancient centers for diversity of domesticated plants, has a rich germplasm resource in vegetable and fruit crops. Cucurbitaceae article about cucurbitaceae by the free. Cucurbits are present in both the new and old world and are among the most important plant families that supply human with edible products and useful fibers. Egyptian tombs suggest pharaohs served melons at their meals, and today african food markets display many forms of cucurbits.
Plants of this family have many medicinal and nutritional benefits. Join our friendly community that shares tips and ideas for gardens, along with seeds and plants. One plant group with the most species used as human food is the cucurbitaceae family. Updated for itis by the flora of north america expertise network, in connection with an update for usda plants 20072010 reference for.
Cucurbitaceae of north america update, database version 2011 acquired. In this chapter, future outcomes of genomic research in cucurbitaceae family members have been intensely discussed. Members of the family are annual or perennial herbs native to temperate and tropical areas and include cucumbers, gourds, melons, squashes, and pumpkins. The family is predominantly distributed around the tropics. Two subfamilies, zanonioideae and cucurbitoideae, are well characterized. This paper describes growth and reproductive development of these crops. In future, new cell lines may provide relevance to these species and they can. A very interesting and an outstanding family of dicotyledons, distributed widely over the tropical parts of the world2. Pdf origin and domestication of cucurbitaceae crops. The wild ancestor for one domesticated squash was identified in the 1930s, ancestors for two others were determined in the 1980s, but the wild ancestors of the other two domesticates remain unknown. In a continuing effort to inform the west on chinese uses. As melons reach their harvest date, it is recommended to.
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