Cucurbitaceae: Characters, Economic Importance, Distribution and Types

 

Diagnostic characters of Cucurbitaceae:

1. Habit: Mostly annual or perennial herbs (based on local climatic and geographic growing circumstances). They are mostly tendril climbers (climbing members of plant families attach to surfaces and support). 

2. Roots: Tap root Stem (it's main straight and strong root that grows from bottom to top; it provides strength, stability and nutrient support).

3. Stem: Herbaceous: is very soft. It has tendrils (climbing plant type that can attach; and support themselves).

4. Leaves: Petiolate (leaves that have a petiole / stalk, that attaches the leaf to the plant stem); Leaves are alternate. simple, exstipulate; palmately reticulate venation. Some leaves bear tendrils (strength and support) in their axils.

5. Inflorescence: The flowers are solitary but some have Racemose (a kind of flower symmetry where the main axis of the flower continues to grow indefinitely without causing any blockage in a flower) or cymose clusters, 

6. Flower: Pedicillate (being supported by a pedicel, it is a stem that connects a flower to an inflorescence of the plant); ebracteate (flower that don't have bract/stalk at the base of  its pedicel); actinomorphic (its a kind of flower that can be divided into two or more than two identical/similar parts by passing a line through mid of it.); Regular; complete or incomplete, unisexual or hermaphrodite; plant may be monoecious (have both male and female reproductive parts on same plants) or dioecious (having male and female reproductive parts on different plants); epigenous;

7. Calyx: 5 sepals: united; campanulate (bell-shaped/braod base); green

8. Corolla: 5 petals; united at base or maybe free; yellow or white in color.

9. Stamens in male flowers: 3 to 5 stamens; united/joined by various degrees; anther are very long. Stamens are develop on calyx tube.

10. Carpels in female flowers: 3 fused carpels; syncarpous (its definition of united carpels); inferior ovary; Parietal placentation.

11. Fruits: Fleshy berry

12. Seed: Non-endospermic seed. 

Floral formula of Cucurbitaceae:

Floral diagram  of Cucurbitaceae:

Economic Importance of Cucurbitaceae:

1. Vegetables and fruits: Many members of Cucurbitaceae family produce vegetables and fruits; used as a source of food for human beings. Some common vegetables and fruits are:

i- Wax gourd, ii- Water melon, iii- Citrullus vulgaris, iv- Musk melon, v- vegetable marrow, vi- cucumber, vii- Loofah, viii- Momordica charantia.

Petha sweets are prepared from Wax gourd or petha both are members of family Cucurbitaceae.

2. Medicinal importance: Some plants of Cucurbitaceae family give vital drugs / medcines. The fruits and seeds of majority of them are laxatives (they are used for relief of constipation). A plant Colocynthis gives a important drug. Echallium elaterium gives a drug elaterium. Sardai (brain tonic) is prepared from various seeds of cucubita in summer. It is very popular in Asia and it has huge importance.

3. Bath sponges: The vegetable sponge (Luffa) belong to this family is dried. Its inner fibrous fruit is ectracted and used as a bath sponge. It is also used for dish washing as well.

4. Ornamental plants: Some vines of Cucurbitaceae family are grown as ornamental plants in gardens, houses and parks. Because of their beautiful flowers and attractive appearances.  

5. Uses of hard shells and pericarps: Certain members of Cucurbitaceae family like pumpkins, pipo etc. have hard shells or woody pericarps (woody texture). These shells have different types: These are dried and are useful for flasks and utensils. Some are used for construction of musical instruments like the pipe of the snake charmer etc. The fishermen use the shells of some plants/fruits as floats.

6. Dangerous plants: Some plants of family Cucurbitaceae are very dangerous to humans. The Juice of Echallium elaterium (Squirting cucumber). It has severe health hazards.

7. Weeds: Certain plants of Cucurbitaceae family act as weeds.

Distribution pattern of Cucurbitaceae:

Cucurbitaceae family has 1OO genera and 850 species. Generally maority of the plants of Cucurbitaceae are tropical and subtropical. Some members are temperate belong to this family.

Common species of Cucurbitaceae:

1. Cucurbita pepo (pumpkin).

2. Cucumis melo (melon).

3. Cucumis sativus (cucumber).

4. Momordica charantia. 

5. Luffa aegyptica.