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Cucurbita moschata (Lam.) Poiret
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English Name |
Crookneck Squash, Pumpkin, Cushaw, Winter Crookneck Squash, Pumpkin Winter Squash |
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Latin name |
Cucurbita moschata (Lam.) Poiret |
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Family & Genus |
Cucurbitaceae, Cucurbita |
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Description |
Annual liane herbs. Stem up to 2-5m long, roots borne from nodes, with edges and grooves, and short bristles, tendrils with 3-4 forks. Single leaves alternate, leaves heart-shaped or broad oval, with 5 lobed or 5 angles, slightly soft, 15-30cm long, densely hairy on both sides, often with white spots along margin and on leaf surface, veins bulging, colour of back side lighter, margin irregularly thin serrated. Flowers solitary, monoecious. Male receptacle short; calyx lobes linear or bar-shaped, top expanded into leaf-shaped; corolla campanulate, yellow, 5 middle-fissured, lobes extended outward; stamens 3; filaments gland-shaped, 5-8mm long, anther chambers curved. Female flowers solitary; ovary round or elliptic, 1 chamber, style short, stigmas 3, each one 2 lobed. Gourds, oblate, pot-shaped, cylindrical and so on, surface with longitudinal grooves and bulges, smooth or with strumose protuberances. Fruit stalks with edges and grooves, goity changed to melon pedicle. Seeds numerous, oval or elliptic, 1.5-2cm long, grey white or yellow white, margin thin. Flowering: May to July, fruiting: August to September. |
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Distribution |
Widely cultivated in all parts of China. The medicinal materials are mainly produced in all parts of China. |
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Part Used |
Medical part: fruits. Chinese name: Nangua. |
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Harvest & Processing |
In summer and autumn, collected mature fruits and used fresh. |
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Chemistry |
Fruit contains cirtrulline, arginine, asparagine, lutein and cucurbitacin B, etc. |
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Pharmacology |
Blood-glucose and blood-fat reducing and anti-cancer. |
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Properties & Actions |
Sweet, neutral.Detoxifying and dispersing swelling. |
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Indications & Usage |
Mainly indicated for pulmonary abscess, bronchial wheezing, anthracia, scalding injuries, poisonous bee stings.Oral administration: appropriate amount, steamed or extracted juice from raw pumpkin. External application: appropriate amount, triturated for application. |
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Examples |
1. Treat oncotic ulcer: dry the old crookneck squash under the sun, grind into a powder, prepare with yellow vinegar and apply to the affected lesions.
2. Treat traumatic hemorrhage: an appropriate amount of crookneck squash, pestle and apply onto the wounds. |
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