Watermelon
Scientific Name: Citrullus vulgaris
Family Name:
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The botanical name of the Watermelon is Citrullus vulgaris or, according to other botanists, Cucumis vitrullus or Cucurbita citrullus. Watermelons are commonly believed to have originated in North Africa, and this theory is very widely accepted today, but opinions in the matter differ. Linnaeus believed they were native to southern Italy, while others claimed that they were of Indian origin. Watermelons are produced by annual, creeping, herbaceous plants of modest size, 6 - 10 feet, which may seem surprising considering the fruit's dimensions. The leaves are deeply lobed; the rather small, greenish-yellow flowers are unisexual, as is generally the rule within this family. Each plant can produce a variable number of fruits, three to four, or even more. The pulp is generally red, although varying in shade. At one time watermelons with yellow pulp were also grown. The seeds, very numerous, are brownish, blackish, variegated, or totally black. The watermelon has evolved with the changes in style that are characteristic of many popular vegetables (and are due not just to frivolous reasons but, for example, to increasing productivity and, above all, stronger resistance to disease). The fruits typical of the pre-World War II period or of the early forties and fifties have now completely disappeared. Today the watermelons on sale are divided into three fundamental types of cultivars: (1) relatively small fruits, 6 - 10 pounds, spherical, with dark green rind, and very sweet red pulp, ripening early, for example, the New Hampshire Midget, Sugar Baby, and Summer Festival; (2) fruits spherical but larger, generally around 20 - 40 pounds, also with sugary red pulp and a uniform colored rind, dark green and covered with a soft bloom, such as the new Black Diamond or Florida Giant which can weigh up to 40 pounds, or striped on a light green background; (3) the most popular watermelons, having large, ovoid fruits, and rind uniformly variegated as in the Charleston Gray, or with stripes varying greatly in both shape and shades, darker color on a lighter background, as in the famous Klondike Striped or Blue Ribbon, Dixie Queen, Tom Watson, Klondike R7, and Congo. Also with ovoid fruit but smaller, is the recently introduced Sweet-Meat with very fragrant, sugary pulp and, an important factor, very few seeds. As is generally known, watermelons are eaten above all as thirst-quenchers in very hot weather, but often they are used as a dessert, or even at the start of a meal as an hors-doeuvre. They make a refreshing addition to fruit salads, and the varieties with firmer pulp can be used for making jam. Because of the large amount of water in the fruit it does not affect people with weight problems. The solid residue is only about 5%, and the carbohydrates a modest 3 - 4%. The calorific value is therefore very low. Watermelons are useful for their vitamin content and as a diuretic, although some people find them difficult to digest. [Bianchini, Francesco, Corbetta, Francesco, Pistoia, Marilena, The Complete Book of Fruits and Vegetables, United States Translation: Crown Publishers, New York, 1976; Originally published in Italy as I Frutti della Terra, Arnoldo Mondadori Publisher, Italy, 1973]