Straightneck squash

A yellow summer squash

Straightneck squash (one of several cultivated Cucurbita pepo) is a type of summer squash that is usually yellow-colored. It is also known as yellow summer squash, though that nomenclature is not wholly accurate. The crookneck squash looks similar but has a crooked neck.[1] It has mildly sweet and watery flesh, and thin tender skins that can be left on the fruit for many types of recipes. It was almost certainly domesticated in the eastern United States, although other variants of the same species (zucchini and pumpkin) were domesticated in Mesoamerica. This squash grows on vined plants reaching 60–90 cm (2.0–3.0 ft) in height that thrive in mild weather. It is well known as an item in American cooking where it is fried, microwaved, steamed, boiled, or baked. It is often used in recipes interchangeably with zucchini. A good yellow summer squash will be small and firm with tender skin free of blemishes and bruising. It is available all year long in some regions, but is at its peak from early through late summer.[2][3][4] One similar inedible C. pepo variety is C. pepo var. ovifera.[5]

References

  1. ↑ "Summer Squash Production". North Carolina State University. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  2. ↑ Saade, R. Lira; Hernández, S. Montes. "Cucurbits". Purdue Horticulture. Retrieved September 2, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Cucurbita pepo". Missouri Botanical Garden. Retrieved September 2, 2013.
  4. ↑ Heistinger, Andrea (2013). The Manual of Seed Saving: Harvesting, Storing, and Sowing Techniques for Vegetables, Herbs, and Fruits. Portland, OR: Timber Press. p. 278. ISBN 978-1-60469-382-9.
  5. ↑ Decker, Deena S.; Wilson, Hugh D. (1987). "Allozyme Variation in the Cucurbita pepo Complex: C. pepo var. ovifera vs. C. texana". Systematic Botany (American Society of Plant Taxonomists) 12 (2): 263–273. doi:10.2307/2419320. JSTOR 2419320.