[Sca-cooks] Squash in Scappi's Opera

[Terry Decker]

> >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