CUCURBITACEAE - Cucurbit or Gourd Family
Herbaceous, coarse climbing vines
Leaves alternate, entire, or lobed
Infls. of various types, plants monoecious or dioecious
Flowers unisexual (male and
female), actinomorphic, nectary
disk present
Fruit a berry or pepo (one-locular fruit developed from inferior
ovary with parietal
placentae)
Pepos
Seeds flattened
90 genera, 700 species, mainly tropical and subtropical
The Cucurbitaceae is divided into two families on the basis of
whether or not the styles are free and seeds winged or not.
Economic importance:
Medicinal uses - members of the Cucurbitaceae have been used for
a variety of ailments. They produce compounds known as cucurbitacins
that have anti-tumor properties but are also very toxic.
Diagnostic characteristics - vine, fruit a pepo, leaves coarse,
flowers unisexual and actinomorphic
