[Sca-cooks] The pumpkin/gourd debate (again) from theapothecary'sworkshop

[Terry Decker]

>> All members of genus Cucurbita are of North American origin, including
>> those found in Asia and Africa.  Gourds and melons are of Old World 
>> origin.
>> A quick way to tell the difference is to look at the stem.  Cucurbita 
>> have
>> deeply ribbed stems, the gourds and melons have round, relatively smooth,
>> lightly veined stems.
>
> Now, I'm confused. Cucumbers are genus Cucurbita, but their presence in
> Europe pre-dates any significant contact between Old and New Worlds. Do
> we have an explanation for that? I didn't find one anywhere.
>
> -- 
> -- Jadwiga Zajaczkowa, Knowledge Pika jenne at fiedlerfamily.net

Cucumbers are genus Cucumis,  Squashes, gourds, melons, watermelons, 
cucumbers and luffas are all members of the family Cucurbitaceae.

Bear