Author: | Sereno Watson,
1889
|
Family: |
CUCURBITACEAE |
Origin: |
Baja
California, NW Mexico |
Soil: |
Grit -
Sand |
Water:
|
Minimum -
Medium |
Sun: |
Medium -
Maximum |
Thickness: |
10 Centimetres |
Height: |
100 Centimetres |
Flower:
|
Yellow |
Propagate: |
Seeds |
Names:
|
Coyote
Gourd, Wild Gourd |
Synonyms: |
Cucurbita cylindrata, Liberty Hyde Bailey, 1943 |
This member of the Cucurbitaceae
family was collected by Edward Palmer near Los Angeles Bay in 1887,
and described by Sereno Watson in 1889. It can be found in a limited
portion of the Sonoran Desert. It preferring a loose sand/grit/gravel
mix and some sun, and produces tuberous roots to survive periods of
drought. Fruits are approximately eight centimetres, round, and grey-green with
lighter stripes. The seeds are ten millimetres long. Some sources list C. cylindrata
as a synonym, while other authorities view the two as a
case of sympatric speciation.
The genera name from
Latin; cucumis; 'gourd'. The species name means 'heart-shaped',
referring to leaves. |