Lagenaria siceraria
Lagenaria siceraria
Lagenaria siceraria (pronunciation: luh-geh-nair-ee-uh sih-seh-rah-ree-uh), also known as the bottle gourd, calabash, or white-flowered gourd, is a vine grown for its fruit, which can either be harvested young and used as a vegetable, or harvested mature, dried, and used as a bottle, utensil, or pipe.
Etymology
The name "Lagenaria siceraria" is derived from the Latin words "lagenaria", meaning "bottle", and "siceraria", meaning "of beer", referring to the plant's use as a container for storing and serving beer in ancient times.
Description
Lagenaria siceraria is a fast-growing, annual, climbing vine with large leaves and white flowers. The fruit is smooth-skinned, varying in shape from round to elongated, and in color from green to yellow or white. The mature fruit has a hard, woody shell and a hollow interior divided by pithy partitions.
Cultivation and uses
Lagenaria siceraria is cultivated throughout the world for its useful fruit. The young fruit is harvested as a vegetable and can be cooked in a variety of ways. The mature fruit is dried and used as a container, utensil, or musical instrument. The seeds are also edible and can be roasted or ground into flour.
Related terms
- Cucurbitaceae: The plant family to which Lagenaria siceraria belongs.
- Cucurbita: A genus of gourd and squash plants closely related to Lagenaria.
- Gourd: A term used to refer to the fruit of plants in the family Cucurbitaceae, including Lagenaria siceraria.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Lagenaria siceraria
- Wikipedia's article - Lagenaria siceraria
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