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Genus: Citrullus
Life
> eukaryotes >
Archaeoplastida >
Chloroplastida
>
Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants)
> Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants)
> Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering
plants) > Eudicotyledons > Core Eudicots > Rosids > Eurosid I
> Order: Cucurbitales > Family: Cucurbitaceae
Four species,
native to from Africa through to Asia with three species native to southern Africa.
Watermelon is a domesticated form of Citrullus
lanatus which has a wide distribution from Asia through to Africa
where it is found in the Kalahari and called Tsamma. An additional two
species are cultivated in the region.
Species native to southern Africa
List from
Plants
of Southern Africa - an Online Checklist (SANBI),
Flora of
Zimbabwe and
Flora of
Mozambique.
Citrullus ecirrhosus |
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Citrullus lanatus (Watermelon, Tsamma) Wild Citrullus lanatus
grows widely in Africa and Asia. In southern Africa it grows in the Kalahari
where it is known as Tsamma. Thought to have been domesticated in Africa at least
4000 years ago and now grown worldwide, particularly in regions with long, hot
summers. |
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Citrullus rehmii |
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Other species, cultivated in southern Africa
List from Glen (2002).
Citrullus colocynthis
(Colocynth)
Native from the Mediterranean through to India. |
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Citrullus fistulosus
Native from tropical Africa. |
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Publications
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Glen, H.F. 2002. Cultivated plants of
southern Africa. Jacana, Johannesburg.
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Launert, E. & Roessler, H. 1968.
Cucurbitaceae. Prodromus einer Flora von Südwestafrika 94: 1-22.
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Meeuse, A.D.J. 1962. The Cucurbitaceae of
southern Africa. Bothalia 8: 1-111.
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