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Citrullus lanatus
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Picture: Bart Wursten
Near railway line by road to Hwange NP, Main Camp
Picture: Bart Wursten
Near railway line by road to Hwange NP, Main Camp
Picture: Bart Wursten
Near railway line by road to Hwange NP, Main Camp
Picture: Bart Wursten
Near railway line by road to Hwange NP, Main Camp
Picture: Bart Wursten
Near western boundary, Zambezi National Park.
Picture: Bart Wursten
Near western boundary, Zambezi National Park.
Picture: Bart Wursten
Near western boundary, Zambezi National Park.
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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)
| Synonyms: |
Citrullus vulgaris Eckl. & Zeyh. Colocynthis citrullus (L.) Kuntze Cucurbita citrullus L. Momordica lanata Thunb. |
| Common names: | |
| Frequency: | |
| Status: | Native and cultivated |
| Description: |
Annual herb with prostrate or climbing stems up to 10 m long, covered in long spreading hairs, particularly when young. Tendrils 2-3-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 older; 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. |
| Type location: |
South Africa |
| Notes: | This is the well-known watermelon, popular in cultivation. |
| Derivation of specific name: | lanatus: covered in soft, intertwined hairs, woolly or lanate. |
| Habitat: | Wild plants occur in Kalahari sand areas in grassland and scrubland, often along watercourses. |
| Altitude range: | Up to 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. |
| Zambian distribution (Flora Zambesiaca): | N,E,S |
| Zambian distribution (Provinces): | N,E,S |
| Growth form(s): | |
| Endemic status: | |
| Red data list status: | |
| Insects associated with 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 Flora Zambesiaca 4 Pages 435 - 437. (Includes a picture). Jeffrey, C. & Fernandes, R.B. (1986). 80. Cucurbitaceae Flora de Moçambique Junta de Investigaçoes de Ultramar, Centro de Botanica Pages 37 - 38. Kirby, G. (2013). Wild Flowers of Southeast Botswana Struik Nature, Cape Town South Africa Page 161. (Includes a picture). 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). Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 52. Timberlake, J.R. & Childes, S.L. (2004). Biodiversity of the Four Corners Area: Technical Reviews Volume Two (Chapter 5-15) Appendix 5-1: Plant Checklist Occasional Publications in Biodiversity 15 Page 205. 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:
Our websites:
Flora of Botswana: Citrullus lanatusFlora of Botswana: cultivated Citrullus lanatus
Flora of Caprivi: Citrullus lanatus
Flora of Caprivi: cultivated Citrullus lanatus
Flora of Malawi: Citrullus lanatus
Flora of Malawi: cultivated Citrullus lanatus
Flora of Mozambique: Citrullus lanatus
Flora of Mozambique: cultivated Citrullus lanatus
Flora of Zambia: cultivated Citrullus lanatus
Flora of Zimbabwe: Citrullus lanatus
Flora of Zimbabwe: cultivated Citrullus lanatus
External websites:
African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Citrullus lanatusBHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Citrullus lanatus
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Citrullus lanatus
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Citrullus lanatus
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Citrullus lanatus
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Citrullus lanatus
JSTOR Plant Science: Citrullus lanatus
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Citrullus lanatus
Plants of the World Online: Citrullus lanatus
Tropicos: Citrullus lanatus
Wikipedia: Citrullus lanatus
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