Melons, Squashes, and Gourds

The gourd family, Cucurbitaceae, encompasses over 900 species of plants known collectively as gourds or cucurbits. This article reviews the botany, horticulture, and food value of cucurbits, with emphasis on the three leading genera. Cucumis (cucumbers, melons), Cucurbita (pumpkins, squash), and Citrullus (watermelons), rank among the top 10 in economic importance among the vegetable crops of the world, and several others have regional importance. Cucurbits are also grown for use as ornaments and containers, and some are used for medicinal applications and other purposes. Some wild cucurbits have potential economic value.