Watermelon

The watermelon is an annual that has a prostrate or climbing habit. Stems are up to long and new growth has yellow or brown hairs. Leaves are long and wide. These usually have three lobes that are lobed or doubly lobed. Young growth is densely woolly with yellowish-brown hairs which disappear as the plant ages. Like all but one species in the genus Citrullus, watermelon has branching tendrils. Plants have unisexual male or female flowers that are white or yellow and borne on hairy stalks. Each flower grows singly in the leaf axils, and the species' sexual system, with male and female flowers produced on each plant, is monoecious. The male flowers predominate at the beginning of the season; the female flowers, which develop later, have inferior ovaries. The styles are united into a single column. The large fruit is a kind of modified berry called a pepo with a thick rind (exocarp) and fleshy center (mesocarp and endocarp). Wild plants have fruits up to in diameter, while cultivated varieties may exceed . The rind of the fruit is mid- to dark green and usually mottled or striped, and the flesh, containing numerous pips spread throughout the inside, can be red or pink (most commonly), orange, yellow, green or white. A bitter watermelon, C. amarus, has become naturalized in semiarid regions of several continents, and is designated as a "pest plant" in parts of Western Australia where they are called "pig melon". ==Taxonomy==

The sweet watermelon was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753 and given the name Cucurbita citrullus. It was reassigned to the genus Citrullus in 1836, under the replacement name Citrullus vulgaris, by the German botanist Heinrich Adolf Schrader. (The International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants does not allow names like "Citrullus citrullus".) The species is further divided into several varieties, of which bitter wooly melon (Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai var. lanatus), citron melons (Citrullus lanatus var. citroides (L. H. Bailey) Mansf.), and the edible var. vulgaris may be the most important. This taxonomy originated with the erroneous synonymization of the wooly melon Citrullus lanatus with the sweet watermelon Citrullus vulgaris by L.H. Bailey in 1930. Molecular data, including sequences from the original collection of Thunberg and other relevant type material, show that the sweet watermelon (Citrullus vulgaris Schrad.) and the bitter wooly melon Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai are not closely related to each other. A proposal to conserve the name, Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai, was accepted by the nomenclature committee and confirmed at the International Botanical Congress in 2017. Prior to 2015, the wild species closest to Citrullus lanatus was assumed to be the tendril-less melon Citrullus ecirrhosus Cogn. from South African arid regions based on an erroneously identified 18th-century specimen. However, after phylogenetic analysis, the closest relative to Citrullus lanatus is now thought to be Citrullus mucosospermus (Fursa) from West Africa (from Senegal to Nigeria), which is also sometimes considered a subspecies within C. lanatus. Watermelon populations from Sudan are also close to domesticated watermelons. The bitter wooly melon was formally described by Carl Peter Thunberg in 1794 and given the name Momordica lanata. It was reassigned to the genus Citrullus in 1916 by Japanese botanists Jinzō Matsumura and Takenoshin Nakai. ==History==

, a Dutch painter active in 17th-century Brazil (1804) Watermelons were originally cultivated for their high water content and stored to be eaten during dry seasons, as a source of both food and water. Watermelon seeds were found in the Dead Sea region at the ancient settlements of Bab edh-Dhra and Tel Arad. Many 5000-year-old wild watermelon seeds (C. lanatus) were discovered at Uan Muhuggiag, a prehistoric archaeological site located in southwestern Libya. This archaeobotanical discovery may support the possibility that the plant was more widely distributed in the past. Early watermelons were not sweet, but bitter, with yellowish-white flesh. They were also difficult to open. The modern watermelon, which tastes sweeter and is easier to open, was developed over time through selective breeding. European colonists introduced the watermelon to the New World. Spanish settlers were growing it in Florida in 1576. It was being grown in Massachusetts by 1629, and by 1650 was being cultivated in Peru, Brazil and Panama. Around the same time, Native Americans were cultivating the crop in the Mississippi valley and Florida. Watermelons were rapidly accepted in Hawaii and other Pacific islands when they were introduced there by explorers such as Captain James Cook. After the Civil War, the watermelon became a racist stereotype: Black people were said to share a voracious appetite for watermelon, which was associated with laziness and uncleanliness. Seedless watermelons were initially developed in 1939 by Japanese scientists who created seedless triploid hybrids but they did not have sufficient disease resistance. Seedless watermelons became more popular in the 21st century, rising to nearly 85% of total watermelon sales in the United States in 2014. ==Systematics==

A melon from the Kordofan region of Sudan the kordofan melon may be the progenitor of the modern, domesticated watermelon. The kordofan melon shares with the domestic watermelon loss of the bitterness gene while maintaining a sweet taste, unlike other wild African varieties from other regions, indicating a common origin, possibly cultivated in the Nile Valley by 2340 BC. ==Cultivation==

Watermelons grow in tropical to temperate climates, needing temperatures higher than to thrive. On a garden scale, seeds are usually sown in pots under cover and transplanted into the ground. Ideal conditions are a well-drained sandy loam with a pH between 5.7 and 7.2. Major pests of the watermelon include aphids, fruit flies, and root-knot nematodes. In conditions of high humidity, the plants are prone to plant diseases such as powdery mildew and mosaic virus. Some varieties often grown in Japan and other parts of the Far East are susceptible to fusarium wilt. Grafting such varieties onto disease-resistant rootstocks offers protection. In addition, lack of pollen is thought to contribute to "hollow heart" which causes the flesh of the watermelon to develop a large hole, sometimes in an intricate, symmetric shape. Watermelons suffering from hollow heart are safe to consume. Watermelons are an important water source in South Africa, the Kalahari Desert, and East Africa for both humans and animals. Production In 2023, world production of watermelons was 105 million tonnes, led by China (mainland) accounting for 64% of the total (table). Secondary producers were India, Turkey, Algeria, and Brazil. == Nutrition ==

Watermelon fruit is 91% water, 6% sugars, and has low content of fat and protein (table). In a reference amount of , watermelon fruit supplies of food energy, with no micronutrients in significant content (table). Watermelon pulp contains carotenoids, including lycopene. The amino acid citrulline is produced in watermelon rind. == Varieties ==

Various cultivar groups exist: Citroides group (syn. C. lanatus subsp. lanatus var. citroides; C. lanatus var. citroides; C. vulgaris var. citroides) Lanatus group (syn. C. lanatus var. caffer) C. colocynthis (L.) Schrad. ex Eckl. & Zeyh., C. rehmii De Winter, and C. naudinianus (Sond.) Hook.f. Varieties The more than 1,200 cultivars of watermelon range in weight from less than to more than ; the flesh can be red, pink, orange, yellow or white. • The 'Carolina Cross' produced the current world record for heaviest watermelon, weighing . • The 'Golden Midget' has a golden rind and pink flesh when ripe, and takes 70 days from planting to harvest. • The 'Orangeglo' has a very sweet orange flesh, and is a large, oblong fruit weighing . It has a light green rind with jagged dark green stripes. It takes about 90–100 days from planting to harvest. • The 'Moon and Stars' variety was created in 1926. The rind is purple/black and has many small yellow circles (stars) and one or two large yellow circles (moon). The melon weighs . The flesh is pink or red and has brown seeds. The foliage is also spotted. The time from planting to harvest is about 90 days. • The 'Cream of Saskatchewan' has small, round fruits about in diameter. It has a thin, light and dark green striped rind, and sweet white flesh with black seeds. It can grow well in cool climates. It was originally brought to Saskatchewan, Canada, by Russian immigrants. The melon takes 80–85 days from planting to harvest. • The 'Melitopolski' has small, round fruits roughly in diameter. It is an early ripening variety that originated from the Astrakhan region of Russia, an area known for cultivation of watermelons. The Melitopolski watermelons are seen piled high by vendors in Moscow in the summer. This variety takes around 95 days from planting to harvest. • The 'Densuke' watermelon has round fruit up to . The rind is black with no stripes or spots. It is grown only on the island of Hokkaido, Japan, where up to 10,000 watermelons are produced every year. In June 2008, one of the first harvested watermelons was sold at an auction for 650,000 yen (US$6,300), making it the most expensive watermelon ever sold. The average selling price is generally around 25,000 yen ($250). • Many cultivars are no longer grown commercially because of their thick rind, but seeds may be available among home gardeners and specialty seed companies. This thick rind is desirable for making watermelon pickles, and some old cultivars favoured for this purpose include 'Tom Watson', 'Georgia Rattlesnake', and 'Black Diamond'. Others were also working on disease-resistant cultivars; J. M. Crall at the University of Florida produced 'Jubilee' in 1963 and C. V. Hall of Kansas State University produced 'Crimson Sweet' the following year. These are no longer grown to any great extent, but their lineage has been further developed into hybrid varieties with higher yields, better flesh quality and attractive appearance. Georgia, Florida, Texas, California and Arizona are the United States' largest watermelon producers, with Florida producing more watermelon than any other state. The largest recorded fruit was grown in Tennessee in 2013 and weighed . == Uses ==

Culinary Watermelon is a sweet summer fruit served freshly sliced, diced in mixed fruit salads, or as juice. Watermelon juice can be blended with other fruit juices or made into wine. The seeds have a nutty flavor and can be dried and roasted, or ground into flour. stir-fried or stewed. Citrullis lanatus, variety caffer, grows wild in the Kalahari Desert, where it is known as tsamma. The fruits are used by the San people and wild animals for both water and nourishment, allowing survival on a diet of tsamma for six weeks. == Cultural significance ==

The watermelon and its emoji 🍉 are used as a symbol of Palestinian resistance, of the Kherson region in Ukraine, and of eco-socialism, as in 'green on the outside, red on the inside'. Since the outbreak of the Gaza war in 2023, watermelon emojis have been more widely used on various social media platforms to show support for Palestine, to circumvent censorship and shadow banning on some platforms (a practice called "algospeak"), avoiding more overt symbols such as Palestinian flags. Because it is mostly water, the watermelon has been used to symbolize abrosexuality, a "fluid" or changing sexual orientation. In the United States, the watermelon has also been used as a racist stereotype associated with African Americans. In Chinese culture, watermelons symbolise good fortune and happiness. They are gifted during the Lunar New Year and other festive occasions. They are also commonly eaten during summer as slices. ==Gallery==

File:Watermelon cubes BNC.jpg|Watermelon cubes File:Melonen-stapel.jpg|Watermelons with dark green rind, India File:Watermelon flower measurement.jpg|Watermelon flowers File:Water melon leave.jpg|Watermelon leaf File:Male and female watermelon 1458.JPG|Flower stems of male and female watermelon blossoms, showing ovary on the female File:Water melon flower and stem.jpg|Watermelon plant close-up File:WatermelonBaller.JPG|Watermelon baller File:Citrullus lanatus.jpg|Watermelon with yellow flesh File:It weighed 15 lb 13 oz.jpg|'Moon and stars' watermelon cultivar File:Kustodiev Merchants Wife.jpg|Watermelon and other fruit in Boris Kustodiev's ''Merchant's Wife'' File:Watermelon out for sale.jpg|Watermelon out for sale in Maa Kochilei Market, Rasulgarh, Odisha, India File:Watermelon grown in Buryatia, Siberia.jpg|Watermelon grown in Buryatia, Siberia File:Watermelon12.jpg|Watermelon rind curry File:Roasted watermelon seeds 2.jpg|Roasted and salted watermelon seeds File:Семечко арбуза.jpg|Watermelon seed under a microscope File:Slices of watermelon.jpg|alt=Watermelon pieces|Watermelon, sliced into pieces File:Sugar Baby watermelon explodes when a small incision is made in its peel.jpg|Very ripe Sugar Baby watermelon, grown in Oklahoma, bursts open when a small incision is made into its rind File:Watermelon yellow 2024 G1.jpg|Watermelon with yellow flesh File:Watermelon_ice_pop1.jpg|Ice pop ==See also==