Talk:Cucurbita

Domestication

Squash was domesticated multiple times throughout the Americas; this should be reflected in the article with the appropriate sources. I don't have the time to right now, but I will eventually if no one else does. TangoFett (talk) 09:58, 27 September 2023 (UTC)

Etymology

It may be worth clarifying the etymology, since right now it indicates that curcubita is Latin for a thing that the article later explains is a new world invention, which presumably the Romans wouldn't have been discussing. It looks like the etymology is better explained by saying that it's Latin for a melon or gourd-like receptacle, but I don't have a great source other than wiktionary for that yet. So if anyone already has a clarifying source, it might be worth adjusting the lead to be less circular. —penultimate_supper 🚀 (talk • contribs) 10:25, 28 October 2024 (UTC)

The article says that the Latin is for gourd, which includes the Old World Lagenaria bottle-gourds, so there is no circularity here as far as Roman times were concerned. Chiswick Chap (talk) 10:30, 28 October 2024 (UTC)

I'm sorry, I completely missed the inclusion of bottle-gourds in the curcubita family despite reading a few sources that came up when I looked more into the etymology. I still think it might be worth saying 'Latin for gourd or melon', since that seems to have been true, and prevents the appearance of circularity, but clearly my morning brain is not detail oriented enough to jump to criticism. Sorry again for a dumb mistake! 🤷🏻‍♂️ —penultimate_supper 🚀 (talk • contribs) 10:37, 28 October 2024 (UTC)

I think I will correct the syntax of the first sentence. "Cucurbita (Latin for 'gourd')[2][3] is a genus of herbaceous fruits in the gourd family, Cucurbitaceae (also known as cucurbits or cucurbi), native to the Andes and Mesoamerica." I am going to make it clear that it is the genus, not the family, that is native to the new world. Easyily done, and necessary, I think. Wastrel Way (talk)Eric

trees?

the heading states that Cucurbita is a genus of herbacious trees. should that be 'herbacious vines'? Potholehotline (talk) 19:51, 28 October 2024 (UTC)

Fixed. Plants will do. Chiswick Chap (talk) 19:58, 28 October 2024 (UTC)

@Chiswick Chap a thousand thanks Potholehotline (talk) 20:52, 28 October 2024 (UTC)

Colombian names

I want to add that Cucurbita's in Colombia are known as ahuyama Empanada Aletosa (talk) 22:24, 28 October 2024 (UTC)

Do you have a source for that? _ZZ^Z'S 22:27, 28 October 2024 (UTC)