WHITE-FLOWERED GOURD, CUCUZZI, OR CALABASH GOURD
Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) Standl., family CucurbitaceaeThe white-flowered or calabash gourd is known as a "camp follower" as well as a cultivated plant. No figures are available on the volume or value of its production, which doubtless is not great. The fruit is produced for its use as an ornamental, a musical instrument, a float to support fish nets, and in primitive areas as a cooking utensil. The young tender leaves and the dry seed are sometimes used as food (Whitaker and Davis 1962 *, Pathak and Singh l95O).
The plant is usually cultivated individually or as only a few plants in an area near dwellings, except on seed supply farms where the seeds are produced for sale. The vine is held up by strong supports so that the fruit may be suspended above ground. In India, each plant yields 10 to 15 fruits weighing 1 to 3 pounds each. The seed kernels contain about 45 percent oil (Purseglove 1 968*).
Plant:
The white-flowered gourd plant is a half-hardy, vigorous, annual, strongly running or climbing vine to 30 feet in length with kidney-shaped, softly pubescent leaves 6 to 12 inches across. The fruits vary in length from 3 inches to 6 feet, from a few ounces to several pounds, and from oval to cylindrical, pyriform, and club- or eggshaped. At maturity, the skin is hard and smooth, and green, greenish white, tan, striped, or mowed. The variation in size and shape of the fruit distinguishes plants, but this alone does not provide cultivar status. There are various cultivars (Purseglove 1968*), known in the trade as 'Flat', 'Bottle', 'Dipper', 'Spoon', 'Pipe', 'Powder', 'Kettle', and 'Birdsnest'.
Inflorescence:
The flowers of the white-flowered gourd are monoecious and produce singly in the leaf axis (fig. 195). They are funnel- or bell-shaped with a long corolla tube, and they have a musklike odor, typical of many nocturnal, bat-visited flowers. The staminate flowers are borne on a very long peduncle that rises above the foliage. The pistillate flowers have a short peduncle and a hairy ovary. The blossom persists much longer than that of Cucurbita.
The flowers open during the night and remain open until the next afternoon. The nectar is not easily accessible. Pollination probably takes place at or shortly after dawn if pollinators are available.
[gfx] FIGURE 195. - Longitudinal section of flowers of white-flowered gourd, x 2. A, Male; B, female.
Pollination Requirements:
The flowers, being monoecious, cannot be self-pollinated. The pollen must be transferred from the staminate to the pistillate flower by an outside agent. Shah and Patel (1966) obtained a higher percentage of fruit set with hand pollination than was obtained in the open, indicating an insufficiency of pollinating agents in the area.
Pollinators:
Concerning the pollination of white-flowered gourd, Pammel and King (1930* p. 862) stated, "Since the flowers are monoecious it is absolutely necessary that the pollen be conveyed by insects, and probably in most cases cross-fertilization results, because the pollen may come from another plant." Knuth (1908* p. 464) and Purseglove (1968*) gave primary credit to bees. Knuth also noted that the flowers appear to be visited by crepuscular (twilight or dawn) insects. He stated that the flowers are adapted to hummingbirds and smaller bees, although a species of bumble bee was observed visiting the flowers. Considering the flower odor and the fact that it is open during the night, nectar-collecting bats probably also contribute to its pollination.
Pollination Recommendations and Practices:
No recommendations on the use of insect pollinators on white- flowered gourds have been made, but the indications are plain that if a sizeable volume of fruit of this plant were desired the concentration of bees nearby would be worthwhile.
LITERATURE CITED:
PATHAK. G. N.. and SINGH. B.
1950. GENETICAL STUDIES IN LAGENARIA LEUCANTHA (DUCHS.) RUSBY (L. VULGARIS SER.). Indian Jour. Genet. and Plant Breed. 10: 28-35.SHAH, R.C., and PATEL, R.M.
1966. STUDIES ON POLLINATION IN CUCURBITACEAE. Indian Jour. Genet. Plant Breed. 26(1): 94-97.
