| Squash | ||||||||||||||
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 Yellow squash
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| Summer squash Nutritional value per 100 g (3. 5 oz) |
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| Energy 20 kcal 70 kJ | |||||||||||||||
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| Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. Vitamin C or L-ascorbate is an Essential nutrient for a large number of higher primate species a small number of other Mammalian Potassium (pəˈtæsiəm is a Chemical element. It has the symbol K (kalium from qalīy Atomic number 19 and Atomic mass 39 Reference Daily Intake (or Recommended Daily Intake ( RDI) is the daily dietary intake level of a nutrient which was considered (at the time they were defined to be sufficient |
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Squashes generally refer to four species of the genus Cucurbita native to the New World, also called marrows depending on variety or the nationality of the speaker. The New World is one of the names used for the non-Eurasian/non-African parts of the Earth specifically the Americas and Australia. In North America, squash is loosely grouped into summer squash or winter squash, as well as autumn squash (another name is cheese squash) depending on whether they are harvested as immature fruits (summer squash) or mature fruits (autumn squash or winter squash). Summer squash are a subset of squashes that are harvested when immature (while the rind is still tender and edible Winter squash (Australia pumpkin) is a warm-seasoned vegetable representing several species within the genus Cucurbita Gourds are from the same family as squashes. This article refers to the Dried fruit shell For the alternative country musical group of a similar name see The Gourds. Well known types of squash include the pumpkin and zucchini. Pumpkin is a Gourd -like squash of the genus Cucurbita and the family Cucurbitaceae (which also includes gourds Zucchini ( in North American and Australian English) or courgette (/kʊǝrˈʒɛt/ or in New Zealand and British English
Archaeological evidence suggests that squash may have been first cultivated in Mesoamerica some 8,000 to 10,000 years ago [2][3], but may have been independently cultivated elsewhere, albeit later [4]. Mesoamerica or Meso-America (Mesoamérica is a Region extending approximately from central Mexico to Honduras and Nicaragua, defined Squash was one of the "Three Sisters" planted by Native Americans. The Three Sisters are the three main agricultural crops of some Native American groups in North America: squash, Maize, and climbing Beans For indigenous peoples in the United States other than Hawaii and Alaska see also Native Americans in the United States. The Three Sisters were the three main indigenous plants used for agriculture: maize (corn), beans, and squash. Maize (ˈmeɪz ( Zea mays L. ssp mays) known as corn in some countries is a cereal grain domesticated in Mesoamerica Bean is a common name for large plant Seeds of several genera of the family Fabaceae (formerly Leguminosae used for human food or animal These were usually planted together, with the cornstalk providing support for the climbing beans, and shade for the squash. The squash vines provided ground cover to limit weeds. The beans provided nitrogen fixing for all three crops. Nitrogen fixation is the process by which Nitrogen is taken from its natural relatively inert molecular form (N2 in the atmosphere and converted into
Summer squashes, including young vegetable marrows (such as zucchini [also known as courgette], pattypan and yellow crookneck) are harvested during the growing season, while the skin is still tender and the fruit relatively small, they are consumed almost immediately and require little or no cooking. Zucchini ( in North American and Australian English) or courgette (/kʊǝrˈʒɛt/ or in New Zealand and British English Pattypan squash, White squash or Scallopini or Button Squash in Australian English, is a Summer squash notable for its small Yellow crookneck squash is a variety of Summer squash (species Cucurbita pepo) with bumpy yellow skin and sweet flesh
Winter squashes (such as butternut, Hubbard, buttercup, ambercup, acorn, spaghetti squash and pumpkin) are harvested at maturity, generally the end of summer, cured to further harden the skin, and stored in a cool place for eating later. Butternut squash ( Cucurbita moschata) also known in Australia and Great Britain as Butternut pumpkin, is a type of winter squash. Cucurbita maxima, the Buttercup squash is an edible type of Winter squash with a turban-shape (a flattish top and dark green skin weighing 3-5 pounds Acorn squash ( Cucurbita pepo) is a Winter squash with distinctive longitudinal ridges and sweet yellow-orange Flesh. The spaghetti squash ( Cucurbita pepo) (also called vegetable spaghetti, noodle squash, Spaghetti Marrow (in the UK, squaghetti Pumpkin is a Gourd -like squash of the genus Cucurbita and the family Cucurbitaceae (which also includes gourds They generally require longer cooking time than summer squashes. (Note: Although the term winter squash is used here to differentiate from summer squash, it is also commonly used as a synonym for Cucurbita maxima. )
The squash fruit is classified as a pepo by botanists, which is a special type of berry with a thick outer wall or rind formed from hypanthium tissue fused to the exocarp; the fleshy interior is composed of mesocarp and endocarp. An epigynous berry or false berry is an Accessory fruit found in certain Plant species with an inferior ovary, distinguishing it from A Fruit in Botany refers to a mature ovary. In fleshy fruits the outer often edible layer is the pericarp, which is the tissue that develops A Fruit in Botany refers to a mature ovary. In fleshy fruits the outer often edible layer is the pericarp, which is the tissue that develops A Fruit in Botany refers to a mature ovary. In fleshy fruits the outer often edible layer is the pericarp, which is the tissue that develops The pepo, derived from an inferior ovary, is characteristic of the Squash Family (Cucurbitaceae).
In addition to the fruit, other parts of the plant are edible. Squash seeds can be eaten directly, ground into paste, or (particularly for pumpkins) pressed for vegetable oil. A seed (in some plants referred to as a kernel) is a small embryonic Plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat usually with some stored The shoots, leaves, and tendrils can be eaten as greens. Shoots are new plant growth they can include stems, flowering stems with flower buds leaves In Botany, a leaf is an above-ground Plant organ specialized for Photosynthesis. In Botany, a tendril is a specialized stem, Leaf or petiole with a threadlike shape that is used by Climbing plants for support Leaf vegetables, also called potherbs, greens, or leafy greens, are plant leaves eaten as a Vegetable, sometimes accompanied The blossoms are an important part of native American cooking and are also used in many other parts of the world.
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Pollination
As with all other members of the family, the flowers come in pollen-bearing male form, and the ovary-bearing female form, with both forms being present on the plant. Squash has historically been pollinated by the native North American squash bee Peponapis pruinosa, and related species, but this bee and its relatives have declined, probably due to pesticide sensitivity, and most commercial plantings are pollinated by European honey bees today. The name Squash bee is applied to two related genera of Bees in the tribe Eucerini; Peponapis and Xenoglossa. One hive per acre (4,000 m² per hive) is recommended by the US Department of Agriculture. Gardeners with a shortage of bees often have to hand pollinate. Hand pollination (also called "mechanical pollination" is a technique used when natural or Open pollination is insufficient or undesirable Inadequately pollinated female squash flowers will usually start growing but abort before full development. Many gardeners blame various fungal diseases for the aborted fruit, but the fix proves to be better pollination not fungicide. Fungicides are Chemical compounds or biological organisms used to kill or inhibit fungi or fungal spores
Squash species
Four species of the genus Cucurbita are called squash or pumpkins rather indiscriminately. Cucurbita is a genus in the Gourd family Cucurbitaceae first cultivated in the Americas and now used in many parts of the world
- C. maxima includes the large winter squash (such as Hubbard and Banana) and some large pumpkins, and numerous smaller varieties such as Buttercup and Mooregold. On this species the peduncle (fruit stem) is spongy and swollen, not ridged.
- C. pepo includes the small pie pumpkins, standard field pumpkins, acorn squash, vegetable spaghetti, zucchini, summer crookneck squash, pattypan and most other summer squashes. Acorn squash ( Cucurbita pepo) is a Winter squash with distinctive longitudinal ridges and sweet yellow-orange Flesh. The spaghetti squash ( Cucurbita pepo) (also called vegetable spaghetti, noodle squash, Spaghetti Marrow (in the UK, squaghetti Zucchini ( in North American and Australian English) or courgette (/kʊǝrˈʒɛt/ or in New Zealand and British English Pattypan squash, White squash or Scallopini or Button Squash in Australian English, is a Summer squash notable for its small
- C. moschata includes butternut squash, among others
- C. Butternut squash ( Cucurbita moschata) also known in Australia and Great Britain as Butternut pumpkin, is a type of winter squash. mixta includes the cushaw varieties.
While squashes and pumpkins are notorious for producing hybrids when grown within pollinator range of each other, the different species do not naturally hybridize with each other.
Squashes and cooking
Though considered a vegetable in cooking, botanically speaking, squash is a fruit (being the receptacle for the plant's seeds), and not a vegetable. Cooking is the process of preparing Food by applying Heat, selecting measuring and combining of ingredients in an ordered procedure for producing safe and edible
Etymology
The English word "squash" derives from askutasquash (literally "a green thing eaten raw"), a word from the Narragansett language, which was documented by Roger Williams, the founder of Rhode Island, in his 1643 publication A Key Into the Language of America. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States The Massachusett language was a Native American language, a member of the Algonquian language family Roger Williams may refer to Roger Williams (soldier (1539/1540–1595 Welsh soldier of fortune Roger Williams (theologian (1603–1683 Rhode Island ( officially named the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, is a state in the New England region of the United States Similar words for squash exist in related languages of the Algonquian family such as Massachusett. The Algonquian (also Algonkian, and pronounced both and) languages are a subfamily of Native American languages that includes most of the languages in the Algic The Massachusett language was a Native American language, a member of the Algonquian language family
 Squashes grow hanging from a network of stalks |
 A yellow squash |
 Petit Pan squash |
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 A turban squash |
 Delicata squash, also known as Sweet Potato squash |
 Various squashes such as Turban, Sweet Dumpling, Carnival, Gold Acorn, Delicata, Buttercup and Golden Nugget. In the Flowering plants an ovary is a part of the female reproductive organ of the flower or Gynoecium. Ovule literally means "small egg." In Seed plants the ovule is the structure that gives rise to and contains the female reproductive cells A gynoecium (from Ancient Greek gyne, "woman" is the Female reproductive part of a Flower. A petal (from Ancient Greek petalon "leaf" "thin plate" regarded as a highly modified leaf is one member or part of the corolla |
Use as an object of art
The squash has been an essential crop in the Andes since the pre-Columbian Era. The Larco Museum (Museo Larco is located in the Pueblo Libre District in Lima, Peru. The Andes form the world's longest exposed Mountain range. They lie as a continuous chain of highland along the western coast of South America. The pre-Columbian era incorporates all period subdivisions in the history and prehistory of the Americas before the appearance of significant European influences The Moche culture from Northern Peru made ceramics from earth, water, and fire. The Moche civilization (alternately the Mochica culture Early Chimu Pre-Chimu Proto-Chimu etc Peru (Perú Piruw Piruw officially the Republic of Peru ( reˈpuβlika del peˈɾu is a country in western South America. This pottery was a sacred substance, formed in significant shapes and used to represent important themes. Squash are represented frequently in Moche ceramics. [1]
References
- ^ Berrin, Katherine & Larco Museum. The Larco Museum (Museo Larco is located in the Pueblo Libre District in Lima, Peru. The Spirit of Ancient Peru:Treasures from the Museo Arqueológico Rafael Larco Herrera. New York:Thames and Hudson, 1997.
External links
- Squash Display at Missouri Botanical Garden - Pics of 150 varieties from The Great Pumpkin Patch
- Squash Display at Missouri Botanical Garden - * [5] - Master Gardeners: McClellan Ranch 2003 Squash Varieties
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