family Cucurbitaceae

Cucurbitaceae, the gourd family of flowering plants, belonging to the order Cucurbitales and containing 100 genera and about 850 species of food and ornamental plants. Members of the family are annual or perennial herbs native to temperate and tropical areas and include cucumbers, gourds, melons, squashes, and pumpkins. Most species are extremely sensitive to temperatures near freezing, a factor that limits their geographic distribution and area of cultivation. Cucurbits have a generally low nutrient content, one exception being the winter squashes (certain varieties of Cucurbita maxima, C. moschata, and C. pepo).

1. Presented by: Ishtiaq Ahmad Govt. Degree College Tangi Charsadda

2. Cucurbitaceae 100 genera and 850 species Distribution: Tropical and subtropical regions Vegetative characters: Habit: mostly annual or perennial climbers. Root: Tap root Stem: Herbaceous; climbing; angular; hollow; glabrous; hairy or prickly. Leaf: simple; petiolate ,

3. Floral characters: Inflorescence: solitary flowers, cymose panicle (e.g. Actinostema ) or racemose . Flower: Regular; unisexual rarely bisexual (e.g. Schizopepon ); actinomorphic; epigynous Male flower: Calyx: 5 sepals; gamosepalous ; petaloid , campanulate . Corolla: 5 petals; polypetalous; campanulate to rotate. Androecium: usually 5 stamens; free or fused

4. Female flower: Calyx: 5 sepals; fused Corolla: 5 petals; free or fused Androecium: generally absent or staminoid Gynoecium: tricarpellary ; syncarpous ; ovary inferior Placentation: parietal/ axile Fruit: berry

5. Important genera: Benincasa cerifera

6. Citrullus vulgaris (water melon)

7. Cucumis melo ( kharboza )

8. Cucumis sativus

9. Luffa cylindrica

10. Momordica charantia

11. Cucurbita maxima

12. Economic Importance of Cucurbitaceae: This family is particularly important economically because its fruits are edible. I. Vegetables and fruits: Cucumis melo (Hindi – Kharbuza ): The fruits are edible and a number of varieties are known. C. melo var. momordica is Phut and C. melo var. utilissimus is Kakri . Cucumis sativus is Khira .

13. C. melo var. momordica

14. C. melo var. utilissimus

15. Cucumis sativus

16. Citrullus vulgaris (Hindi – Tarbuz ): The fruits are large and ripen during summers; it is cultivated on the sandy beds of rivers. C. vulgaris var. fistulosus is Tinda which is used as vegetable. Cucurbita maxima is Kaddu : Cucurbita maxima is Kaddu while C. pepo is Safed Kaddu ; both are used as vegetable.

17. Benincasa hespida is Petha : Benincasa hespida is Petha . It is used as vegetable; PETHE-KI-MITHAI is also prepared from the fruits.

18. Benincasa hespida (Wax gourd)

19. Lagenaria vulgaris is Lauki : Lagenaria vulgaris is Lauki ; the fruit is commonly used as a vegetable. From ripe fruit-shells sitar is made.

20. Lagenaria vulgaris

21. Trichosanthes dioca : Trichosanthes dioca whose fruits are also used in vegetable preparations. T. cucumerina anguina is also used as vegetable.

22. Trichosanthes dioca

23. T. cucumerina anguina

24. Luffa cylindrica is Torai : Luffa cylindrica is Torai . This is also a popular vegetable.

25. Momordica charantia is Karela : Momordica charantia is Karela . The fruits are bitter but used in vegetable preparations. It is said to be useful in gout and rheumatism.

26. II. Medicine: There are a few plants also important medicinally. Citrullus colocynthis – produces the alkaloid colocynthin from its fruits. The fruits and roots are used against snake bite. The alkaloid is also used in other diseases.

27. Citrullus colocynthis

28. Ecballium elatarium fruits produce compounds which has narcotic effect and useful in hydrophobia.

29. Ecballium elatarium

30. III. Ornamental: Some plants viz., Ecballium , Sechium , Sicyos are grown in gardens.

31. Sechium

32. Sicyos