Crescentia cujete

Botanical Description

Crescentia cujete is a small or medium-sized tree with a dense, rounded crown; it usually grows up to 10 metres tall. The thick bole can be 30cm in diameter[ 331 Title Flora of Guatemala Publication Author Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark Website http://www.archive.org/ Publisher Year 1946 - 1976 ISBN Description A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/ , 2094 Title Bignoniaceae Part 1 (Crescentieae and Tourrettieae) Publication Flora Neotropica Monograph Vol. 25, No. 1. pp 1-130 Author Gentry A.H. Publisher The New York Botanical Garden, New York Year 1980 ISBN 0-89327-222-1 Description ]. A multipurpose tree, it is harvested from the wild for use as a food, medicine and source of materials. The dry fruits are a very important article of trade in Guatemala and throughout Central America and Mexico, where they have been used since ancient times in much the same way as the bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria), to make containers, cups, spoons etc[ 302 Title Tropical Ornamentals; A Guide Publication Author Whistler. W. Arthur. Publisher Timber Press Inc. Oregon. Year 2000 ISBN 0-88192-448-2 Description An excellent little guide to some of the more commonly cultivated ornamental plants of the Tropics, often giving some information on the plants other uses. , 331 Title Flora of Guatemala Publication Author Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark Website http://www.archive.org/ Publisher Year 1946 - 1976 ISBN Description A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/ ]. A drink made from the seeds is very popular in Nicaragua, though is little used elsewhere. The plant is widely cultivated as an ornamental, shade or specimen tree in tropical areas[ 302 Title Tropical Ornamentals; A Guide Publication Author Whistler. W. Arthur. Publisher Timber Press Inc. Oregon. Year 2000 ISBN 0-88192-448-2 Description An excellent little guide to some of the more commonly cultivated ornamental plants of the Tropics, often giving some information on the plants other uses. ]. The largest fruits upon the tree, globose in form, remind one somewhat of green pumpkins, and a small tree loaded with these huge fruits is an almost unbelievable sight[ 331 Title Flora of Guatemala Publication Author Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark Website http://www.archive.org/ Publisher Year 1946 - 1976 ISBN Description A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/ ]. Crescentia cujete has a very wide distribution, large population, is not currently experiencing any major threats and no significant future threats have been identified. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2019)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].