This article refers to the dried fruit shell. For the alternative country musical group of a similar name, see The Gourds.

A calabash gourd, used for drinking mate tea.

A calabash gourd, Turkish gourd lamp .

A gourd is a hollow, dried shell of a fruit in the Cucurbitaceae family of plants of the genus Lagenaria^[1][2]. Gourds can be used as a number of things, including bowls or bottles. Gourds are also used as resonating chambers on certain musical instruments including the berimbau and many other stringed instruments and drums. Instruments of this type are fairly common to the Caribbean. Gourds are also used as a tool for sipping yerba mate by means of a bombilla, in Chile, Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil, where it is called "cuia" (kOOya). Birdhouse gourds, (Lagenaria siceraria), are commonly used in southern USA for group housing for purple martins, which reputedly help control mosquitoes. "Gourd" can also refer to the live fruit before it is dried, or to the entire plant that produces that fruit. Image:TheGourds. ... Calabash This image shows a calabash as used for drinking mate tea. ... Calabash This image shows a calabash as used for drinking mate tea. ... Binomial name (Molina) Standl. ... Binomial name Ilex paraguariensis A. St. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 615 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (782 × 762 pixels, file size: 471 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Su kabağından yapılmış kabak lamba Artist:Nurettin Taşkaya Foto:Nurettin Taşkaya Mersin-TURKEY http://www. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 615 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (782 × 762 pixels, file size: 471 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Su kabağından yapılmış kabak lamba Artist:Nurettin Taşkaya Foto:Nurettin Taşkaya Mersin-TURKEY http://www. ... Binomial name (Molina) Standl. ... For other uses, see Fruit (disambiguation). ... Genera Abobra Acanthosicyos Actinostemma Alsomitra Ampelosycios Anacaona Apatzingania Apodanthera Bambekea Benincasa Biswarea Bolbostemma Brandegea Bryonia Calycophysum Cayaponia Cephalopentandra Ceratosanthes Chalema Cionosicyos Citrullus Coccinia Cogniauxia Corallocarpus Cremastopus Ctenolepis Cucumella Cucumeropsis Cucumis Cucurbita Cucurbitella Cyclanthera Dactyliandra Dendrosicyos Dicoelospermum Dieterlea Diplocyclos Doyerea Ecballium Echinocystis Echinopepon Edgaria Elateriopsis Eureiandra Fevillea Gerrardanthus Gomphogyne Gurania Guraniopsis... For other uses, see Plant (disambiguation). ... Species Lagenaria abyssinica Lagenaria breviflora Lagenaria guineensis Lagenaria rufa Lagenaria siceraria Lagenaria sphaerica Lagenaria vulgaris Lagenaria is a genus of gourd bearing vines from the Cucurbitaceae family. ... A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified with the purpose of making music. ... Three Berimbaus The berimbau is a single-string percussion instrument, a musical bow, from Brazil. ... A string instrument (also stringed instrument) is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. ... Bass drum made from wood, rope, and cowskin A drum is a musical instrument in the percussion group that can be large, technically classified as a membranophone. ... West Indies redirects here. ... Binomial name Ilex paraguariensis A. St. ... Mate Mate (pronounced ) is a highly caffeinated infusion prepared by steeping dried leaves of yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) in hot water. ... Binomial name Progne subis (Linnaeus,, 1766) The Purple Martin, Progne subis, is the largest North American swallow at 20 cm length. ... For other uses, see Mosquito (disambiguation). ...

Cultivation

Day-blooming gourds are pollinated the same as squash, and commercial plantings should have bee hives supplied. Night blooming gourds are pollinated by moths, which are normally present in adequate supply unless they are drawn off by night lights in the area. Carpenter bee with pollen collected from Night-blooming cereus Pollination is an important step in the reproduction of seed plants: the transfer of pollen grains (male gametes) to the plant carpel, the structure that contains the ovule (female gamete). ... Species - hubbard squash, buttercup squash - cushaw squash - butternut squash - most pumpkins, acorn squash, summer squash References: ITIS 22365 2002-11-06 Hortus Third Squashes are four species of the genus Cucurbita, also called pumpkins and marrows depending on variety or the nationality of the speaker. ... Pollination Management is the label for horticultural practices that accomplish or enhance pollination of a crop, to improve yield or quality, by understanding of the particular crops pollination needs, and by knowledgeable management of pollenizers, pollinators, and pollination conditions. ... For other uses, see Moths A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly. ... This time exposure photo of New York City shows sky glow, one form of light pollution. ...

Gourds were the earliest plant species domesticated by humans and were originally used by man as containers or vessels before clay or stone pottery, and is sometimes referred to as "nature's pottery". The original and evolutional shape of clay pottery is thought to have been modeled on the shape of certain gourd varieties.

Notable gourd collectors include Bob Jones

Other uses

In addition to utilitarian uses, gourds have been assigned various other functions throughout history in various cultures. Very early specimens of gourd shells discovered (for example, in Peru) indicate the use of gourds as means of recording events of the time. In North America, the carving of pumpkins and some other gourds into Jack-o-Lanterns is a popular cultural activity during Halloween. Pumpkins A pumpkin is a gourd (Cucurbitaceae), most commonly orange in colour when ripe, that grows from a trailing vine. ... Jack-o-lanterns may be carved with a friendly face, above, a menacing sawtooth scowl, or any look in between. ... This article is about the holiday. ...

Generally, gourds are used more for utilitarian uses than for food. Only a few varieties are actually harvested for consumption, mostly in Asia. The shell of the gourd, when dried, has a wooden appearance. Gourd "wood" is essentially cellulose that has no grain, varying in thickness from paper-thin to well over an inch. Drying gourds, which takes months in some cases, causes the internal contents (seeds and fruit matter) to dry out completely, although seeds are often still capable of germination. For the uninitiated, cutting open a dried gourd (which can be done with a craft knife or miniature jig-saw) can present hazards; the resulting dust is extremely fine and can cause respiratory problems, requiring adequate protection. A bitter taste or smell is typically evident when opening a gourd that has not completely dried out inside. Cellulose as polymer of β-D-glucose Cellulose in 3D Cellulose (C6H10O5)n is a polysaccharide of beta-glucose. ...

It has also been found that gourd skins were used to replace missing parts of skulls back in the Neolithic times as part of primitive surgery. This is seen as evidence of prostheses, that is, artificial bones made of very fine gold sheet and gourd skins, which were inserted in the skull under the skin or to cover the hole left by the operation.^{[citation needed]} An array of Neolithic artifacts, including bracelets, axe heads, chisels, and polishing tools. ... A United States soldier demonstrates Foosball with two prosthetic limbs Jon Comer, Professional skateboarder, gets air with a prosthetic leg. ...

The harder outer surface lends the gourd to a wide variety of creative appeals, including carving, pyrography, sculpture, basketry, masks, musical instruments, and much more. A steadily growing following has emerged in the United States and other Western countries for Gourd art and craft-related purposes. There are many different types of decorative gourds. They include spoon gourds, spoon bicolor, orange warted, and striped pear. The spoon gourd ripens from the top to the bottom. A baby spoon gourd is green and as it grows it changes color. A yellow color overlaps the green and creates a two colored gourd. For decorative purposes the harvester can cut the gourd from the plant early when it is still two colors. Pyrography is the art of decorating wood or other materials with burn marks resulting from the controlled application of a heated object such as a poker. ... Gourd art featuring a tiger Gourd art involves creating works of art by painting on dried gourd shells based on the principles of pointillism. ...

See also

• Follow the Drinkin' Gourd
• Bitter gourd
• Bottle gourd
• Gourd art
• Guiro
• Koteka
• Maraca
• Pointed gourd
• Ridge gourd
• Sitar
• Snake gourd
• Mate
• Collins Long gourd for competition

The Drinkin Gourd is another name for the Big Dipper asterism. ... Binomial name Momordica charantia The bitter melon (Chinese: 苦瓜; pinyin: ), also called bitter gourd, balsampear, or balsamapple, is the edible fruit of the plant Momordica charantia. ... The calabash (Lagenaria siceraria) is a vine-based plant that produces a fruit that resembles either a bottle, utencil, or pipe. ... Gourd art featuring a tiger Gourd art involves creating works of art by painting on dried gourd shells based on the principles of pointillism. ... Categories: Music stubs | Latin percussion | Idiophones ... The koteka, horim, or penis sheath is a phallocrypt traditionally worn by native male inhabitants of some (mainly highland) ethnic groups in western New Guinea to cover their genitals. ... Maracas Maracas (sometimes called rhumba shakers) are simple percussion instruments (idiophones), usually played in pairs, consisting of a dried calabash or gourd shell (cuia - kOO-ya) or coconut shell filled with seeds or dried beans. ... Binomial name Trichosanthes dioica Roxb. ... Species (Angled luffa, Ridged Luffa) (Smooth luffa, Egyptian luffa) (Sponge cucumber) and others A luffa sponge whose coarse texture helps with skin polishing. ... Diagram of some sitar parts. ... Binomial name Trichosanthes cucumerina L. Trichosanthes cucumerina is a tropical or subtropical vine, raised for its strikingly long fruit, used as a vegetable and for medicine. ... Mate may refer to: Relationships: Mate (term), a term for a friend, especially in the United Kingdom and Australasia; also used to address strangers One of a pair of animals, sometimes also applied to a human partner; see mating Nautical: A deck officer on a merchant marine vessel, usually ranked...

Footnotes

External links

General

• A Brief History of Gourds.
• The Cucurbitaceae.
• The Initial Domestication of Cucurbita pepo in the Americas 10,000 Years Ago.
• Phytolith evidence for early Holocene Cucurbita domestication in southwest Ecuador.
• An Asian origin for a 10,000-year-old domesticated plant in the Americas.

Sculpture

• Gourd Art by Jennifer Zingg
• Gourd Fine Art by Denise Williams

Crafts

• World of Gourds, noncommercial site linking to all gourd sites
• Corona Gourd Company - Artistic Gourds
• The Gourd Of Eden- Gourd Fine Art
• Hand painted Gourds artworks
• Clean, Dried Gourds for Crafts
• The American Gourd Society
• California Gourds, dried gourds & supplies for crafts
• The Gourdzette, more gourd craft information & projects
• The Kentucky Gourd Society
• Meadowbrooke Gourds, a nation-wide Gourd Craft supplier
• Gallery of over 20 gourd varieties, large supplier of dried gourds for crafts
• Craft Ready Gourds, Cleaned and Prepped Gourds for Crafting, Crafted Gourds
• Primitive Originals, national Gourd Craft supplies
• Turkish Gourd Lamp, Artist=Nurettin Taskaya