[Sca-cooks] Squash in Scappi's Opera
Terry Decker
t.d.decker at att.net
Fri Sep 18 19:57:24 PDT 2009
> >Early Evidence for the Culinary Use of Squash Flowers in Italy
>>http://docs.google.com/gview?a=v&q=cache:LfO8qEW9hm0J:www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/squashflowers.pdf+Jules+Janick+purdue+squash&hl=en&gl=us
>
> As far as I can see, the buds are closed, so you cannot see the color of
> the flowers--white or yellow. So how can one tell if they are C. Pepo (New
> World) or lageneria (Old World)? Is the shape of the buds different?
> --
> David/Cariadoc
In this case, the ovaries are ribbed which is indicative of genus Cucurbita.
Genus Lagenaria tend toward smooth ovaries. If you can get a close look at
the stem, most, if not all, Cucrbita have a deeply ribbed stem. Lagenaria
(at least all those I have observed) have a round, smooth stem with fine
almost thread-like ribs.
I'm more taken aback by their identification of the big yellow cucurbit in
the middle of the painting as being C. pepo. I don't know how they are
making the taxonomic differentiation. In my view, it could be either a
basket gourd or a pumpkin.
Bear
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