pumpkin

Description:

Cucurbita is a genus in the gourd family Cucurbitaceae first cultivated in Mesoamerica and now used in many parts of the world. It includes species grown for their fruit and edible seeds (the squashes, pumpkins and marrows, and the chilacayote), as well as some species grown only as gourds. Pumpkins are cultivars of any one of the species Cucurbita pepo, C. mixta, C. maxima, and C. moschata. Cucurbita originates from the Americas. The unidentified species featured in this spotting produces moderate-sized pumpkins which are spherical to tire-shaped with a dark green exterior. The "meat" is bright yellow and it is delicious. Besides this fruit of the pumpkin, the leaves and tendrils are also used as a vegetable here in New Guinea.

Habitat:

My vegetable garden (equatorial tropics of northern New Guinea).

Notes:

I was stalking insects in my garden and was struck by the beauty of the setting sun falling on the tendrils and unfurling shoots of my pumpkin patch run wild.