Their production is tied strongly to the socio-economic situation. Market with fruits Green beans Squashes and their relatives Members of the squash family, the Cucurbitaceae, have been eaten in both the Old and New World for thousands of years. The seeds, fruit and blossoms of many are eaten. Squashes are native to the Americas and were eaten 5-6 thousand years ago. Melons are mostly native to the Old World.
Watermelons are native to Africa.
Most members of the family are annuals and are vines. They are usually grown from seed. The fruits of members of this group are pepos. They are basically inferior fruited berries. See p. 113 for a diagram of the fruits etc.