SC - Sekanjabin +

[Philip & Susan Troy]

"HICKS, MELISSA" wrote:
> 
> Greetings all,
> 
> This is from Rowan who is unfortunately unsubscribed at the moment.  She is
> growing langanaria sicaria (sic).  Mel.
> >
> > Well, I've just grown one from seed (thanks Drake) and you are both right!
> > The vine had white flowers, about half the size of zucchhini flowers, but
> > otherwise grew rather like a pumpkin - it was a climber. The resulting
> > gourd
> > is long and skinny, rather like a lebanese cucumber. I picked the sole
> > result when it was 18" long. It has a bright mid green shiny skin, covered
> > in little hairs - it is definitely fuzzy, but in a delicate way. It's
> > sitting on my bench at home right now, waiting for me to decide how I'll
> > cook it...
> >
> > I will try to take a photo and post it, if it works out...

And in the mean time, check this out:

http://www.nre.vic.gov.au/trade/asiaveg/thes-34.htm 

for a photo of fuzzy melons.

One possible source of confusion might be that simply knowing the
supposed botanical/taxonomical name of something living doesn't
necessary enable you to distinguish it from something else, since
frequently a species will have more than one genus name on record, and
sometimes even more than one entire species designation. So, for
example, knowing that the fuzzy melon is benincasa hispada isn't
especially helpful when others know it as cucurbita hispada, and other
sources refer to the winter melon (an entirely different squash and
looking nothing at all like the fuzzy melon, being more or less
spherical) as both the fuzzy or hairy melon _and_ as cucurbita hispada.

Seems as if even some of the botanists are somewhat confused on this
point, but the lagenaria and benincasa genera seem to have nearly
identical specimens of cucurbit gourds.
 
As Ras says, more research is indicated, but at the end of ther research
trail one may find that it makes little difference in the end, and there
may actually be no "one, true Gourd", provided that one understands the
basic concept that neither zucchini nor bumpy New World ornamental
pumpin-type gourds are what the medival European recipes are talking about.

Adamantius
- -- 
Phil & Susan Troy

troy at asan.com
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