Cucurbita argyrosperma

Cucurbita argyrosperma, commonly known as cushaw, kershaw, or silver-seed gourd, is a species of squash grown most frequently in North and Central America, and believed to originate from southern Mexico. This annual herbaceous plant is cultivated for its nutritional value: its flowers, shoots, and fruits are all harvested, but it is cultivated commonly in its native range for seeds.

The species is believed to have originated in Mexico, from its wild sororia form. The reference genome of this species was published in 2019. In precolonial America, archaeological remains have been found as far northward as the Eastern Agricultural Complex. The extant native range of the wild sororia type is from northern Mexico through Central America to Nicaragua, at elevations from sea level to 1,900m.

The species epiphet "argyrosperma" means "silver seeds" in reference to the distinctively-colored seed margins of certain varieties. Cucurbita argyrosperma was formerly known as C. mixta. Historically, some varieties now recognized as C. argyrosperma were assigned to Cucurbita moschata instead. A small number of true C. moschata varieties are still commonly known as cushaws.