SC - gourds and pompions

[Decker, Terry D.]

Prior to Columbus, the gourds and pompions are probably members of the genus
Lagenaria (including calabashes, dippers, and bottle gourds).  The Lagenaria
are believed to originate in Africa and are found in both the New and Old
Worlds.  The New World Lagenaria are believed to have been brought to the
Americas from Africa by accidental dispersion via ocean currents.  In
general, gourds are members of the family Cucurbitaceae having hard, durable
shells.

The squashes and pumpkins of the New World are members of the genus
Cucurbita.  The common names of similar members of the Lagenaria were
applied to them when the Europeans found them.  The similarity probably led
to the rapid adaption of the Cucurbita in Europe, as evidenced in a number
of 16th Century paintings dealing with food stuffs.

There is a scientific debate as to the possible Asian origin of some members
of the Cucurbita, but it is a fairly safe bet that the ones in Europe
arrived from the New World after 1492.

Other genera of the Cucurbitaceae are Cucumis, containing the cucumbers and
the melons (except the watermelon), Citrullis, the watermelons, and Luffa,
loofahs.  All of these are of Old World origin.

Bear

> Oh HELP! I've been trailing this question for years, and I'm still no
> closer to a coherent explanation.
> 
> What _is_ the period European 'pompion', aka 'pumpkin'? It 
> appears before
> Columbus, and Walafrid of Strabo (10th century) notes that 
> the big ones
> are suitable for making 'bushels' -- bushel baskets-- out of. 
> Which means
> that they were somewhat globular and also big enough to carry stuff in
> when hollowed out. They were also eaten; they appear on the 
> account books
> for the reign of Jadwiga and Jagiello in Poland (1386-1399).
> 
> Does anyone have any kind of lead on this?
> 
> Jadwiga Zajaczkowa, mka Jennifer Heise