Zucchini

An annual cucurbit, a cultivar of Cucurbita pepo native to North America, grown for its long cylindrical young fruits as a summer vegetable. Bred into its modern form in early 20th-century Italy and introduced to Japan from the 1970s. It looks like a cucumber but is a squash — it grows as a bush with little vining. The fruits, in pale to dark green or yellow, are used in ratatouille, stir-fries, grilled dishes, and fritters.

Identification Points

• ✓Large 5-lobed leaves with coarse hairs
• ✓Large yellow funnel-shaped unisexual flowers
• ✓Long cylindrical fruits on a bush habit (little vining)

Morphological TraitsAI-estimated, needs verification

Phylogenetic Positionウリ科 →