[Sca-cooks] Earth Apples?

[Terry Decker]

One source with a photo researcher named Jenny de Gex identifies them as 
vegetable marrows although the reproducton in the source isn't good enough 
for me to make a determination.  Most reproduction of the Fruit Seller 
aren't good enough to make a determination.  I had looked at a half dozen of 
them before I got to view a superb reproduction about 14 x 20 from Tauschen 
that gave me enough detail to make a tentative identification of squash. 
Forget about trying to make an identification with digital images, they 
aren't good enough.

Melopepon is Greek, but it was adopted into Latin.  A literal translation is 
"apple melon."

Melopepo is used in the Linnean taxonomy as Cucurbita pepo melopepo and 
Cucurbita melopepo.  Precisely what is covered by the name is difficult to 
discern without a serious review of the taxonomy, but apparently it is used 
to refer to squashes which have soft interiors like a melon (which may be 
usage in the information I got from Thomas Gloning) and that turban and 
patti pan squashes may fall into the grouping.  However, I consider this 
cursory information and certainly subject to revision with deeper study.

Bear

> At 200% the stems look round. The stem that is pointing toward the viewer
> has lighting that at 100% gives it a little edge to look like a squared
> stem. I have seen mediteranian melons look this lumpy and bumpy.
>
> You said that:
> "Based on a discussion with Thomas Gloning, Rumpolt's Erdapfel translates
> into Latin as melopepone, which is indicative of a round, ribbed 
> cucurbit."
>
> And so I gave what I found on melopepon. Though "melopepon" is given as
> Greek.
>
> Lyse
>
> -----Original Message-----
> The detail of the stems is wrong for melon.  Melons have round stems as do
> gourds.  New World squash have grooved stems.
>
> As for the Latin, the language was fixed before New World squashes arrived
> in the Old World and it was never very specific about precise 
> identification
> (Pliny lumped melons and cucumbers together and Platina refers to oranges 
> as
> citrons).  Expanding the definition of a Latin word to include new things
> occurred.  Therefore, I think I'll stand by the interpretation of squash.
>
> As for Gerard, he wasn't speaking German.  He was using common regional
> English names.  Common names are given to change and to refer to different
> things in different regions.  Erdapfel now refers to the white potato.
>
> Bear