Talk:Calabaza

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So is this really just a pumpkin, or is it classified differently? If it's a pumpkin, is there any merit to keeping this as a separate article? Or should there just be a note added to the main pumpkin article that this particular kind of squash is more common in other countries? Any taxonomists out there have any suggestions? --greenmoss 05:47, 13 September 2006 (UTC)

It's the same species and variety as summer squash, which we generally call zucchini in the States, and I suppose marrow in England. It doesn't resemble pumpkin, which is what we call a winter squash, like butternut or acorn squash or crookneck pumpkin. It's quite valid to have its own listing, since it is eaten exclusively in Mexico and Central America and it is very common and important there. We don't see it in the US. What would make this article better would be the usual taxonomy box to indicate its taxonomic hierarchy, so that people can place it with other Cucurbitaceae, and links established to other Cucurbita varieties, and a mention of this important vegetable's connection to other similar vegetables. NaySay 17:01, 22 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Weasel words

From there, it probably spread to other regions via Spanish colonial influence. This needs to be reworded a bit to remove uncertainty. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Getonyourfeet (talk • contribs) 09:19, 31 March 2007 (UTC).

[edit] Calabasa

The following paragraph should have a source:

"It is sometimes spelled calabasa, however, calabasa can refer to any kind of squash in the Spanish language."

Calabasa doesn't even exist in Spanish (according to RAE), and I doubt it could have this meaning.

I'm not sure why you would doubt that, because actually, "Calabaza" (calabasa is an typical orthographic error) is in fact a generic word for "pumpkin" in Spanish. Translated from the Spanish wikipedia page "cucurbitas":

"El género Cucurbita, de la familia de las cucurbitáceas, comprende un grupo de especies cultivadas por sus frutos, sus flores y sus semillas comestibles, conocidas como ayotes (del Náhuatl ayotli), calabazas, calabacines, auyamas (República Dominicana y Venezuela) o zapallos."

"The genus Cucurbita, of the family Cucurbitaceae, comprises a group of species cultivated for their fruits, flowers, and edible seeds, known as ayotes (from the Nahuatl ayotli), calabazas, calabacines, auyamas (in the Dominican Republic and Venezeula) or zapallos."

And the word is is in fact present in the RAE. Entering "calabasa" will even suggest that you perhaps meant to search "calabaza". Translated from that dictionary's entry for calabaza:

"Fruto de la calabaza, muy vario en su forma, tamaño y color, por lo común grande, redondo y con multitud de pipas o semillas."

"Fruit of the calabaza, various in form, size, and color, but commonly large, round, with many seeds."

Curiously, however, entering "calabaza" into the Spanish wikipedia will retun the species cucurbita maxima; not sure what is to be made of that.

[edit] Variety?

Anyone know the variety shown in the pictures? it kinda looks like Cucurbita maxima. It seems that Calabasa scientific name is Cucurbita moschata[1][2] should the content in this page be there?  — 6etonyourfeet^\t\c 07:51, 27 August 2007 (UTC)