Edited by Ho Dinh Hai Long An -Vietnam Updated: 19/5/2015
1- Introduction to the Subfamily Cucurbitoideae (Gourd Subfamily)
1.1- Overview The Cucurbitaceae, also cucurbits, are a plantfamily, sometimes called the gourd family, consisting of around a hundred genera. The plants in this family are grown around the tropics and in temperate areas, where those with edible fruits were among the earliest cultivated plants both in the Old and New Worlds. The Cucurbitaceae family ranks among the highest of plant families for number and percentage of species used as human food. Most of the plants in this family are annualvines, but some are woody lianas, thorny shrubs, or trees (Dendrosicyos). Many species have large, yellow or white flowers. The stems are hairy and pentangular. Tendrils are present at 90° to the leaf petioles at nodes. Leaves are exstipulate alternate simple palmately lobed or palmately compound. The flowers are unisexual, with male and female flowers on different plants (dioecious) or on the same plant (monoecious). The female flowers have inferior ovaries. The fruit is often a kind of modified berry called a pepo.
1.2- Subfamilies of the FamilyCucurbitaceae Depending on a classification system given by Charles Jeffrey in 1990 the family Cucurbitaceae had two subfamilies: 1.2.1- The Subfamily Cucurbitoideae + Overview TheCucurbitoideaeare a subfamily of the Cucurbitaceae, or gourd family, offlowering plants. The Cucurbitaceae are divided into two subfamilies, theZanonioideae (synomym = Nhandiroboideae), probably a paraphyleticgroup of remainders, and the well-supportedmonophyleticCucurbitoideae. Members of theCucurbiteaetribe produce economically valuablefruits, calledgourds, which includecropslikecucumbers,squashes (includingpumpkins),luffas, and melons (includingwatermelons).The Benincaseae tribe contains a genus calledLagenariawhose members produce gourds that can be eaten or whose shells can be dried and used as containers. + Tribes of the Subfamily Cucurbitoideae The Cucurbitoideae subfamily consists of 7 tribes: 1- Tribe Melothrieae (consisting of 4 subtribes) - Subtribe Dendrosicyinae: consisting of 16 genera - Subtribe Guraniinae: consisting of 3 genera - Subtribe Cucumerinae: consisting of 6 genera - Subtribe Trochomeriinae: consisting of 4 genera 2- Tribe Schizopeponeae (consisting of 1 genus) 3- Tribe Joliffieae (consisting of 2 subtribes) - Subtribe Thladianthinae: consisting of 4 genera - Subtribe Telfairiinae: consisting of 1 genus 4- Tribe Trichosantheae(consisting of 4 subtribes) - Subtribe Hodgsoniinae: consisting of 1 genus - Subtribe Ampelosicyinae: consisting of 2 genera - Subtribe Trichosanthinae: consisting of 3 genera - Subtribe Herpetosperminae: consisting of 4 genera 5- Tribe Benincaseae(consisting of 2 subtribes) - Subtribe Benincasinae: consisting of 17 genera - Subtribe Luffinae: consisting of 1 genus 6- Tribe Cucurbiteae (pantoporate, spiny pollen): consisting of 13 genera 7- Tribe Sicyeae (consisting of 2 subtribes)(trichomatous nectary, 4- to 10-colporate pollen grains) - Subtribe Cyclantherinae: consisting of 13 genera - Subtribe Sicyinae: consisting of 7 genera
1.2.2- The Subfamily Zanonioideae (synomym = Nhandiroboideae) + Overview The SubfamilyZanonioideae (small striate pollen grains) also called theNhandiroboideaeare aparaphyleticbasal groupof genera in theCucurbitaceae, or gourd family, offlowering plants.The Zanonioideae comprise all members of the Cucurbitaceae that do not belong to theCucurbitoideae. + Taxonomy This subfamily has 1 Tribe with 5 subtribes and about 17 genera. * Tribe Zanonieae + Subtribe Fevilleinae: consisting of 1 genus - Genus Fevillea + Subtribe Zanoniinae: consisting of 7 genera - Genera: Alsomitra, Zanonia, Siolmatra, Gerrardanthus, Zygosicyos, Xerosicyos, Neoalsomitra + Subtribe Gomphogyninae: consisting of 3 genera - Genera: Hemsleya, Gomphogyne, Gynostemma + Subtribe Actinostemmatinae: consisting of 2 genera -Genera: Bolbostemma, Actinostemma + Subtribe Sicydiinae: consisting of 5 genera -Genera: Sicydium, Chalema, Pteropepon, Pseudosicydium, Cyclantheropsis
2- Taxonomy of the Subfamily Cucurbitoideae
Subfamily Cucurbitoideae has 7 tribes: 2.1-Tribe Melothrieae (with 4 subtribes) + Subtribe Dendrosicyinae: consisting of 16 genera Genera: Kedrostis, Dendrosicyos, Corallocarpus, Ibervillea, Tumamoca, Halosicyos, Ceratosanthes, Doyerea, Trochomeriopsis, Seyrigia, Dieterlea, Cucurbitella, Apodanthera, Guraniopsis, Melothrianthus, Wilbrandia. + Subtribe Guraniinae: consisting of 3 genera Genera: Helmontia, Psiguria, Gurania. + Subtribe Cucumerinae: consisting of 6 genera Genera: Melancium, Cucumeropsis, Posadaea, Melothria, Muellarargia, Zehneria, Cucumis (including: Mukia, Dicaelospermum, Cucumella, Oreosyce, and Myrmecosicyos ). + Subtribe Trochomeriinae: consisting of 4 genera Genera: Solena, Trochomeria, Dactyliandra, Ctenolepis. 2.2- Tribe Schizopeponeae: consisting of 1 genus Genus: Schizopepon 2.3-Tribe Joliffieae (with 2 subtribes) + Subtribe Thladianthinae: consisting of 4 genera Genera: Indofevillea, Siraitia, Thladiantha, Momordica + Subtribe Telfairiinae: consisting of 1 genus Genus: Telfairia 2.4-Tribe Trichosantheae (with 4 subtribes) + Subtribe Hodgsoniinae: consisting of 1 genus Genus: Hodgsonia + Subtribe Ampelosicyinae: consisting of 2 genera Genera: Ampelosicyos, Peponium + Subtribe Trichosanthinae: consisting of 3 genera Genera: Gymnopetalum, Trichosanthes, Tricyclandra + Subtribe Herpetosperminae: consisting of 4 genera Genera: Cephalopentandra, Biswarea, Herpetospermum, Edgaria 2.5-Tribe Benincaseae (with 2 subtribes) + Subtribe Benincasinae: consisting of 17 genera Genera: Cogniauxia, Ruthalicia, Lagenaria, Benincasa, Praecitrullus, Citrullus, Acanthosicyos, Eureiandra, Bambekea, Nothoalsomitra, Coccinia, Diplocyclos, Raphidiocystis, Lemurosicyos, Zombitsia, Ecballium, Bryonia. + Subtribe Luffinae: consisting of 1 genus Genus: Luffa 2.6-Tribe Cucurbiteae (pantoporate, spiny pollen): consisting of 13 genera Genera: Cucurbita, Sicana, Tecunumania, Calycophysum, Peponopsis, Anacaona, Polyclathra, Schizocarpum, Penelopeia, Cionosicyos, Cayaponia, Selysia, Abobra. 2.7-Tribe Sicyeae(with 2 subtribes) (trichomatous nectary, 4- to 10-colporate pollen grains) + Subtribe Cyclantherinae: consisting of 13 genera Genera: Hanburia, Echinopepon, Marah, Echinocystis, Vaseyanthus, Brandegea, Apatzingania, Cremastopus, Elateriopsis, Pseudocyclanthera, Cyclanthera, Rytidostylis. + Subtribe Sicyinae:consisting of 7 genera Genera: Sicyos, Sicyosperma, Parasicyos, Microsechium, Sechium, Sechiopsis, Pterosicyos.