pepo

Pepo is a botanical term used to describe a specific type of fruit produced by plants in the Cucurbitaceae family, including cucumber, melon, watermelon, squash, pumpkin, and other gourds. It refers to a berry with a thick, hard rind and a fleshy interior that contains the seeds. The rind is typically firm and can be leathery, forming a protective outer layer around the edible pulp.

The defining feature of a pepo is its rind, which develops from the fruit’s pericarp and contrasts with the softer, more delicate rinds found in other berry types. Pepoes are botanically classified as berries, but their distinctive exterior distinguishes them from many other berries in morphology and structure. Seeds are embedded within the fleshy interior, distributed throughout the edible flesh.

Etymology traces pepo to the Greek word pēpos, meaning fruit, and the term has been adopted in botanical usage to describe this particular form of berry rather than a formal taxonomic group. In practical terms, pepos are one of the common edible fruit types produced by cucurbits and are widely cultivated for food, ornamental use, and in some cases, processing.

Notes for readers: pepo is a fruit form rather than a taxon. Its recognition helps describe and compare fruit types across genera within Cucurbitaceae, aiding discussions of morphology, development, and horticulture.