What is Gem squash?
[[File:South_African_Gem_Squash.JPG|thumb]] '''Gem squash''' (''Cucurbita pepo'' var. ''pepo'')<ref>{{cite web|last=Paris|first=H. S.|title=Characterization of the Cucurbita pepo collection at the Newe Ya’ar Research Center, Israel|url=http://www.bioversityinternational.org/fileadmin/PGR/article-issue_126-art_7-lang_en.html|access-date=January 31, 2015|publisher=Plant Genetics Resources Newsletter}}</ref> is a variety, or family, of summer squash. It may have come from two wild types; ''Cucurbita texana'' seen in the [[Southern United States|southern]] and [[Central United States|central]] United States and ''Cucurbita fraterna'' found in [[Mexico]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Historical geography of crop plants - a select roster|last=Sauer|first=Jonathan D.|publisher=CRC Press|year=1993|isbn=0849389011|location=Boca Raton, Florida}}</ref> The dark green round fruit, when fully [[Ripening|ripe]], is around the size of a [[tennis ball]]. The young fruit is often [[Harvest|harvested]] before it is fully ripe when it has a softer flavor.<ref>{{cite web|title=Table 7-126|url=http://www.bioversityinternational.org/fileadmin/PGR/tables/table7-126.htm|access-date=January 31, 2015|publisher=Biodiversity International}}</ref> Gem squash is grown a lot in [[South Africa]], and is usually served as a vegetable, often boiled or baked.{{Cn|date=February 2021}} == References == {{reflist}} [[Category:Vegetables]] [[Category:Cucurbitaceae]] {{biology-stub}}