They can be two pounds or 200, small and spherical or misshapen and oblong, and exhibit a range of colors, coats and patterns. No, we're not talking about dogs, but gourds — another genetically malleable lifeform that comes in a bizarre, vast range of sizes and shapes, most of which can (again, like dogs) interbreed with each other despite being so radically different. That genetic malleability is unique in the plant world: apples, tomatoes, and oranges have plenty of genetic variation, but not three orders of magnitude of mass differences as gourds do.
These genetic oddities have a concomitant range of uses among humans — culinary, decorative, and musical. Pumpkins have spicy seeds that can transform into a snack or oil; yellow squash can be cooked into a savory pasta sauce; and bottle gourds with fashionable warts are a traditional home decoration, especially during this time of year.
