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Glite Dictionary
Cucurbita pepo

Cucurbita pepo

8.4
A plant that grows pumpkins and some squashes like zucchini
  • noun
  • /kuˈkɜr.bɪ.tə ˈpɛ.poʊ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : calabaza
  • Cucurbita pepo is the scientific name for the common pumpkin found in many gardens and markets.

Examples

  • Many varieties of squash, such as zucchini and pattypan, are classified under Cucurbita pepo.

  • Many farmers grow Cucurbita pepo for Halloween decorations.

  • Botanists study Cucurbita pepo to learn more about the domestication of cultivated gourds.

  • The garden is full of Cucurbita pepo plants.

  • Cucurbita pepo is widely cultivated for its large, round orange fruit, which is commonly used to make pumpkin pies.

  • During the fall, many people decorate their porches with Cucurbita pepo, especially in the form of pumpkins.

  • Gardeners often plant Cucurbita pepo varieties like summer squash to enjoy fresh vegetables throughout the warmer months.

Surface Forms

Cucurbita pepo singular
Cucurbita pepos plural

Morphology

Cucurbita + pepo

This is a Linnaean binomial formed from the genus name 'Cucurbita' (a gourd-family plant) and the epithet 'pepo' (a pepo-type fruit with a hard rind). A learner who knows both constituent meanings can straightforwardly infer it refers to a gourd/squash species (including pumpkins and related squashes), so the meaning is compositional though technical/Latin in form.

Etymology

Cucurbita pepo comes from old words for big gourds: Cucurbita meant 'gourd' and pepo came from a word for 'ripe melon'. That's why the name is used for pumpkins and many squashes.