Bitterroot Restoration

Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Cucurbitales
Family: Cucurbitaceae
Common name: Tarmuj, Tarbuj(Beng.); Watermelon(Eng.).
Life cycle: An annual
Native Range: The wild Citrullus lanatus is widely distributed in Africa and Asia, but originates from southern Africa occurring naturally in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Zambia and Malawi.

Citrullus lanatus (watermelon) can be both the fruit and the plant of a vine-like plant originally from southern Africa, and is one of the most common types of melon. This flowering plant produces a special type of fruit known by botanists as a pepo, a berry which has a thick rind (exocarp) and fleshy center (mesocarp and endocarp); pepos are derived from an inferior ovary, and are characteristic of the Cucurbitaceae. The watermelon fruit, loosely considered a type of melon (although not in the genus Cucumis), has a smooth exterior rind (green, yellow and sometimes white) and a juicy, sweet interior flesh (usually pink, but sometimes orange, yellow, red and sometimes green if not ripe).

Citrullus lanatus contains about 6% sugar and 92% water by weight. As with many other fruits, it is a source of vitamin C. The amino acid citrulline was first extracted from watermelon and analysed. Its contain a significant amount of citrulline and after consumption of several kg, an elevated concentration is measured in the blood plasma; this could be mistaken for citrullinaemia or other urea cycle disorder.