About Cucurbita cordata S.Watson
Cucurbita cordata is a species of flowering plant in the squash family. It is closely similar to Cucurbita californica, Cucurbita cylindrata, Cucurbita digitata, and Cucurbita palmata, and all of these species hybridize readily with one another. This group of species forms the only restricted group of xerophyte species within the genus Cucurbita. Every member of this species group is native to the Southwestern United States and Northwestern Mexico, where they are relatively uncommon. All members of the group grow in hot, arid regions with low rainfall, and prefer soil that is loose, gravelly, and well-drained. C. cordata is found only in the area near Bahía de los Ángeles, Baja California. Botanists Bemis and Whitaker have suggested that C. cordata and C. cylindrata may represent a case of sympatric speciation. The juvenile leaves of C. cylindrata, C. cordata, C. digitata, and C. palmata are very similar to one another, but their mature leaves and root structures are visibly different. The fruits of C. cordata are gray-green, striped, and round. This species was first formally identified by Sereno Watson in 1889.
