Cucurbitaceae

/kjuːkɜːrbɪˈteɪsiː/ noun

Definition

The family of flowering plants that includes cucumbers, melons, pumpkins, and squashes; the gourd family.

Etymology

From Cucurbita (the type genus) plus the standard taxonomic suffix -aceae for plant families in binomial nomenclature.

Kelly Says

The Cucurbitaceae family is proof that plant families can span both continents and cultures—Chinese bitter melons, African bottle gourds, and American pumpkins are all cousins in this single family.

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