Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Shashe Wilderness Camp, Shashe River (cultivated plant)

Photo: Bart Wursten
Near railway line by road to Hwange NP, Main Camp

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Synonyms:	Citrullus vulgaris Eckl. & Zeyh. Colocynthis citrullus (L.) Kuntze Cucurbita citrullus L. Momordica lanata Thunb.
Common names:	Water melon (English)
Frequency:
Status:	Cultivated and sometimes adventive
Description:	Annual herb with prostrate of climbing stems up to 10 m long, covered in long spreading hairs, particularly when young. Tendrils2-3-fid. Leaves more or less narrowly ovate in outline, up to 20 × 19 cm, usually deeply palmately 3-5 lobed with lobes elliptic in outline and often lobed again; hairy when young, particularly on the veins beneath, becoming roughly punctate when oleder; margins almost entire or obscurely and finely sinuate-dentate. Flowers solitary, axillary, yellow, unisexual on the same plant. Fruit smooth, in wild plants 1.5-20 cm long, greenish with darker mottling; cultivated fruits much larger and often more elongated ellipsoid, up to 60 × 30 cm.
Notes:	This is the well-known watermelon, popular in cultivation.
Derivation of specific name:	lanatus: covered in soft, intertwined hairs, woolly or lanate.
Habitat:
Altitude range:	50 - 1350 m
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Cultivated throughout the warmer regions of the world and sometimes adventive. Native to the Kalahari sand region, including Botswana, Zambia and Western Zimbabwe.
Mozambique distribution:	N,T,GI,M
Growth form:
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects (whose larvae eat this species):
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Friday 27 April 2012
Literature:	Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 149. Jeffrey, C. (1978). Cucurbitaceae FZ 4 Pages 435 - 437. (Includes a picture). Jeffrey, C. & Fernandes, R.B. (1986). 80. Cucurbitaceae Flora de Moçambique Pages 37 - 38. Mapaura, A & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 38. Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 44. Pooley, E. (1998). A Field Guide to the Wild Flowers of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Region. Natal Flora Publications Trust. Durban. Pages 558 - 559. (Includes a picture). Van Wyk, B. & Malan, S. (1988). Field Guide to the Wild Flowers of the Witwatersrand and Pretoria Region Struik, Cape Town Pages 128 - 129. (Includes a picture).

Other sources of information about Citrullus lanatus:

Biodiversity Explorer (Biodiversity of southern Africa): Citrullus lanatus
ePIC (electronic Plant Information Center): Citrullus lanatus
Flora Zambesiaca web site: Citrullus lanatus
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
GRIN (Germplasm Resources Information Network) taxonomy for plants report for Citrullus lanatus
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Citrullus lanatus
JSTOR Plant Science: Citrullus lanatus
Kew Herbarium catalogue: Citrullus lanatus
Tropicos: Citrullus lanatus
West African Plants database: Citrullus lanatus