Citron melon
Citron melon | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Cucurbitales |
Family: | Cucurbitaceae |
Genus: | Citrullus |
Species: | C. caffer
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Binomial name | |
Citrullus caffer | |
Synonyms[1] | |
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The citron melon (Citrullus caffer), also called
History
The citron melon is
It is grown as food in Africa, especially in dry or desert regions, including South Africa. In some areas, it is even used as a source of water during dry seasons.
In South Africa, it is commonly eaten by the Xhosa people as Intyabontyi, a citron melon either eaten raw or cooked.
Today, it is not only found in Africa, but also domesticated elsewhere. It is known in the southern plains states of the United States as pine melon, as well as citron melon.
It has become an invasive species, growing wild, in western Mexico.
Characteristics
The actual fruit of this plant resembles the more modern, domesticated watermelons, except that it is smaller and more spheroid. The meat of the melon is more whitish and dense, though, and much stronger in flavor, akin more to the area on a domesticated watermelon where the red meat is just turning into the white rind. As noted above, while some people do eat it raw, it is more often cooked or prepared in some other way.[6]
Citron melon
Solitary
References
- ^ a b c d Nesom, G.L. (2011), "Toward consistency of taxonomic rank in wild/domesticated Cucurbitaceae" (PDF), Phytoneuron, 2011–13: 1–33
- ^ a b c d e "Citrullus amarus". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 29 March 2015.
- .
- S2CID 37535961.
- ^ Clovegarden - an International Food Site
- ^ DEANE (2011-08-31). "Citron Melon, Tsamma". Eat The Weeds and other things, too. Retrieved 2022-11-28.
- ^ "HS585/MV052: Citron—Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Mansf. var. citroides (Bailey) Mansf". edis.ifas.ufl.edu. Retrieved 2022-11-28.
- ^ "Citron (Citron Melon), Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Mats. & Nakai". Archived from the original on 2006-03-10. Retrieved 2007-04-12.