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What is the difference between Cucurbita pepo and Cucurbita maxima?

What is the difference between Cucurbita pepo and Cucurbita maxima?

Generally pumpkins belong to the Cucurbita pepo, C. maxima, and C. moschata species. The maxima species also contains varieties that produce pumpkin-like fruit but the skin is usually more yellow than orange and the stems are soft and spongy or corky, without ridges and without an enlargement next to the fruit.

Is Cucurbita maxima a pumpkin?

Pumpkins found in the Cucurbita Maxima group are the “monsters of the pumpkin world.” They are usually round and have a reddish-orange skin. This species also contains most winter, hubbard, turban, banana and buttercup squashes. Pumpkins from this family typically produce fruits weighing more than 100 pounds.

Is Cucurbita moschata a fruit?

Cucurbita moschata has a hard, smoothly angled fruit stalk widened at apex, hard, smoothly grooved stems and soft, moderately lobed leaves. Cucurbita maxima has a soft, rounded fruit stalk not enlarged at apex, soft, rounded stems and soft, usually unlobed leaves.

What is the size of the fruit of Cucurbita maxima?

The size (length, width, thickness) and weight of the seeds increase as the fruit size increases, ranging between 1.6 to 2.9 cm long, 0.7 to 1.6 cm wide, 0.28 to 0.69 cm thick, and 14 to 60 g per 100 seeds.

What kind of Pumpkin is a Cucurbita maxima?

Cucurbita maxima (giant pumpkin); Large pumpkin with smartphone for scale. Surrey, England. September 2020. Cucurbita maxima (giant pumpkin); Large pumpkin with smartphone for scale. Surrey, England. September 2020. Cucurbita maxima (giant pumpkin); ‘Burgess’ buttercup squash. Cucurbita maxima (giant pumpkin); ‘Burgess’ buttercup squash.

What are the uses of Cucurbita pumpkin seeds?

Traditionally, the seeds of the Cucurbita species are ingested as a tea or after grinding. They have been used to immobilize and aid in the expulsion of intestinal worms and parasites. In some cultures, small amounts of the seeds are eaten on a daily basis as a prophylactic against worm infections.

What kind of squash is shaped like a pumpkin?

The pumpkin in question is Cucurbita maxima “Jarrahdale,” a 10-pound winter squash that just happens to be shaped like a pumpkin. Of course, it doesn’t help matters much that pumpkins (botanically classified as selections of Cucurbita pepo) are but another form of winter squash.

What kind of protein does Cucurbita pumpkin have?

The fleshy pulp of Cucurbita is primarily consumed as a vegetable. The pumpkin flower is a source of protein. Glutamic and aspartic acid, leucine, valine, phenylalanine, and tryptophan are among the amino acids identified. Lipids comprise up to 50% of the seed and around 30% is protein.