First record of alien naturalized populations of the crop Cucurbita moschata (Cucurbitaceae) in Spain, with remarks on typification status

Abstract

As a result of a floristic survey carried out in riparian ecosystems of the southeastern Iberian Peninsula ( a first report of well established populations of the allochthonous cultivated plant species Cucurbita moschata Duchesne is here provided for the Iberian Peninsula. Data about the morphological description (compared to other Cucurbita species), certain clarification aspects about the typification status of this name and related synonyms, and ecological and climatic conditions of the riparian area are given together with a key identification of the Cucurbita species to facilitate further identification. The alien status and distribution of C. moschata together with its relatives C. ficifolia C. pepo and C. maxima are reviewed for the Spanish references. This study outlines the first record of a naturalized population of C. moschata in Spain, well supported by the stability of the population along the years and ecological conditions. Finally, the detailed ecological data indicate that the agricultural activities together with riparian habitats, respectively, are starting points and corridors for seed dispersal for the process of invasion of alien plants in the southeastern Iberian Peninsula.