FAMILY 9: Cucurbitaceae – Gourd Family characters, Floral formula & species

Gourd Family

Diagnostic characters

1. Habit: Mostly annual or perennial herbs. They are mostly tendril climbers.
2. Roots: Tap root
3. Stem: Herbaceous. Stem is very soli It has tendrils.
4. Leaves: Petiolate; Leaves are alternate; simple; exstipulate; palmately reticulate venation. Sonic leaves bear tendrils in their axils.
5. Inflorescence: The flowers are solitary but some have Racemose or cymose clusters.
6. Flower: Pedic i I late; ebracteate; actinomorph ic; Regular; complete or incomplete; unisexual or hermaphrodite; plant may be monoecious or dioecious; epigenous;
7. Calyx: 5 sepals; united; campanula e; grem
8. Corolla: 5 petals; united at base or free; yellow or white.
9. Stamens in male flowers: 3 to 5 sy mens; united by various degree; anther are very long. Stamens are borne on calyx tube.
10. Carpels in female flowers: 3 fused carp ‘Is; syncarpous; inferior ovary; Parietal placentation.
11. Fruits: Fleshy berry
12. Seed: Non-endospermic seed.

Floral formula and floral diagram

Economic Importance

1. Vegetables and fruits: Many members of this family produce vegetables and fruits. Som_g of vegetables and fruits are: wax gourd , Water melon , Citrullus vulgaris Mask melon vegetable marrow , cucumber  Loofah , Momorclica chat-antics .
2. Medicinal importance: Some plants of this family give important drugs. The fruits and seeds of majority of them are laSatives. A plantCo/Ktmhis gives a drug. EchaMum elaterium gives a drug elaterium.
3. Bath sponges: The vegetable sponge (Luna) is dried. Its inner fibrous fruit is removed and used as bath sponge. It is also used for dish washing.
4. Ornamental plants: Certain vines of this family are grown as ornamental plants.
5. Dangerous plants: Some plants are very dangerous to humans.
   The juice of Echo elaterium (Squirting cucumber).
6. Weeds: Some plants of this family act as weeds.

Distribution pattern

This family has 100 genera and 850 species. Most of the plants are tropical and sub-tropical. Some species are temperate.

Common species

1. Cucurhita pepo (pumpkin)
2. Cucumis meta (melon
3. Cucumis sans (cucumber )
4. Momordica charantia
5. Luffli aeuptica

Similar Articles:

• FAMILY 6: Rutaceae – characters , Floral formula, importance & pattern
• Brassicacae / cruciperae (Mustard family) Diagnostic characters
• ROSE FAMILY: ROSACEAE – characters , floral formula and importance
• FAMILY 10: Solanaceae (Potato Family) – Characters , Floral formula & importance
• FAMILY 3: Fabaceae – Characters , Floral formula & Species