The citron melon (Citrullus amarus), also called fodder melon,[2] preserving melon,[2] red-seeded citron,[3] jam melon,[3] stock melon,[2] Kalahari melon[4] or tsamma melon,[2] is a relative of the watermelon. It is from the family Cucurbitaceae which consists of various squashes, melons, and gourds. Native to arid landscapes of sub-Saharan Africa, it has been a wild source of nutrition and hydration for humans for an extraordinarily long time. Its fruit has a hard white flesh, rendering it less likely to be eaten raw in the modern era; more often it is pickled or used to make fruit preserves, and is used for cattle feed.[5] It is especially useful for fruit preserves, because it has a high pectin content.[6]
| Citron melon | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Cucurbitales |
| Family: | Cucurbitaceae |
| Genus: | Citrullus |
| Species: | C. amarus
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| Binomial name | |
| Citrullus amarus | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
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History
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The citron melon is native to Africa, probably the Kalahari Desert, where it still grows abundantly. The time and place of its first domestication is unknown, but it appears to have been grown in ancient Egypt at least four thousand years ago.
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
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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.[7]
Citron melon leaves are palmate in the early stages of growth, and deeply lobed in later development. They have a rough texture and a visible white venation.[8]
Solitary flowers with large, yellow petals of around 2–10 millimeters are randomly dispersed forming many seeded fruit with a variegated light green and dark green pattern.[9]
References
edit- ^ "Citrullus amarus Schrad". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
- ^ a b c d "Citrullus amarus". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 29 March 2015.
- ^ a b Nesom, G.L. (2011), "Toward consistency of taxonomic rank in wild/domesticated Cucurbitaceae" (PDF), Phytoneuron, 2011–13: 1–33, archived (PDF) from the original on 2 April 2015, retrieved 29 March 2015
- ^ Vermaak, I (2011). "African seed oils of commercial importance – Cosmetic applications". South African Journal of Botany. 77 (4): 920–933. doi:10.1016/j.sajb.2011.07.003.
- ^ Laghetti, G.; Hammer, K. (2007). "The Corsican citron melon (Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. et Nakai subsp. lanatus var. citroides (Bailey) Mansf. ex Greb.) a traditional and neglected crop". Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution. 54 (4): 913–916. doi:10.1007/s10722-007-9220-y. S2CID 37535961.
- ^ "Citron Melon". www.clovegarden.com. Archived from the original on 13 August 2024. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
- ^ DEANE (31 August 2011). "Citron Melon, Tsamma". Eat The Weeds and other things, too. Archived from the original on 28 November 2022. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
- ^ "HS585/MV052: Citron—Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Mansf. var. citroides (Bailey) Mansf". edis.ifas.ufl.edu. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
- ^ "Citron (Citron Melon), Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Mats. & Nakai". Archived from the original on 10 March 2006. Retrieved 12 April 2007.