May 9, 1930 SCIENCE: VOL.LXXI, No. 1845, P 483-484
THE NATIVITY OF THE PUMPKINS
Various opinions have been expressed as to the
nativity of
C. pepo and
C. moschata, our cultivated
pumpkins. Some botanists regard them as of American
origin and others as native to eastern Asia.
Since the plant has never been found in its natural
habitat the subject has been one of speculation based
upon certain terms of inexact meaning. Recently,
however, there has come to light through the activities
of the archeologists a rich store of material which
throws important light on this subject. In the recoveries
from the Cliff Dweller ruins fragments of
the rind and peduncle in an excellent state of preservation
have been secured and in the mortuary bowls
seeds of cucurbits are found, the taxonomic characters
of which are clearly defined. This material is
now in the Peabody Museum of Harvard University
and was collected by Messrs. Kidder and Guernsey.
Also, in the Colorado State Historical Museum, are
found specimens recovered by Dr. Paul S. Martin.
The writer has been privileged to study these collections
and finds numerous specimens of
C. moschata
and
C. pepo. In the instance of the Peabody collection,
some of the specimens are quite ancient. According
to Kidder they are from the Basket Makers,
a culture antedating the Cliff Dwellers, and are regarded
by him as belonging to the period 1500 to
2000 B. C.
Interesting material of a similar character has come
to light in the explorations made by Mr. Neil M.
Judd under the direction of the National Geographic
Society at Pueblo Bonito, New Mexico. In this
material fragments of stems and seeds are found
which are identified by Dr. C. V. Coville as
C. pepo
and
C. moschata.
From the Everglades of Florida Dr. John K. Small
has collected a plant of unknown origin which is running
wild and is known as the Seminole Indian
pumpkin, a variety of
C. moschata.
In the Guadalupe Valley of southern Texas occurs
a cucurbit closely related to
C. pepo which appears
to be indigenous. L. H. Bailey collected specimens
in its natural habitat which he identifies as
C. texana.
The fact that
C. pepo and
C. moschata are indigenous
to North America seems clearly established.
The nativity of the third species,
C. maxima, the
squashes, is still in the dark, and we are in hopes
that the archeologists may in time be able to throw
light upon this subject also.
A. T. ERWIN
IOWA STATE COLLEGE
Erwin, A. T. (1930). THE NATIVITY OF THE PUMPKINS. Science, 71(1845), 483–484. doi:10.1126/science.71.1845.483-a
Read Original:
Erwin, 1930 PDF.
source,
source