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Citrullus lanatus
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Family:
CUCURBITACEAE
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Citation: Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsumara & Nakai, Cat. Sem. Hort. Bot. Univ. Tokyo 1920: 38. 1920; Chakrav., Fasc. Fl. Ind. 11: 22. 1982; Manilal & Sivar., Fl. Calicut 122. 1982; Ansari, Fl. Kasaragod Div. 173. 1985; Antony, Syst. Stud. Fl. Kottayam Dist. 175. 1989; Babu, Fl. Malappuram Dist. 285. 1990; Vajr., Fl. Palghat Dist. 217. 1990; Sasidh., Fl. Periyar Tiger Reserve 153. 1998; Sunil & Sivadasan, Fl. Alappuzha Dist. 317. 2009.
Momordica lanata Thunb., Prodr. Fl. Cap. 13. 1794.
Colocynthis citrullus (L.) O. Ktze., Rev. Gen. Pl. 1: 256. 1891.
Cucurbita citrullus L., Sp. Pl. 1010. 1753.
Citrullus vulgaris Schrad., Ind. Sem. Gotting 2. 1833; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 2: 621. 1879; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 536(379). 1919.
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Malayalam Name(s):
Churakka, Peykommutti, Thannimathan, Vattakka, Vatthakka
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Tamil name(s):
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English name(s):
Water Melon
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Description:
Annual herbs; stem angular, villous; tendrils bifid. Leaves c. 14 x 10 cm, deeply 3-5-lobed, villous; lobes obovate-oblong or obtuse-rotund, apical ones sometimes lanceolate, acute or acuminate; petiole to 10 cm long. Flowers axillary, solitary; penducle 1-3 cm long in male, 2-6 cm long in female, villous. Calyx-tube to 4 mm, equal to lobes. Corolla lobes 1-1.5 x 0.3-4 cm, ovate, villous, yellow. Stamens 3, inserted at the base of calyx tube; filaments in male free; anthers one 1-celled, others 2-celled. Ovary in female flowers ovoid. Fruits upto 20 cm across, subglobose. Seeds many, smooth, black, ovoid, compressed.
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Habit:
Climber
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Flowering & Fruiting:
August-April
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District(s):
Kottayam, Alappuzha, Kasaragode, Idukki, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikkode
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Medicinal:
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Habitat:
Cultivated
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Distribution:
Africa, widely cultivated in Tropical and warmer zones of the World
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Aquatic:
No
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Epiphyte(s):
No
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Saprophyte:
No
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Stem parasite:
No
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Root parasite:
No
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Flower colour(s):
Yellow
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Weed:
No
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Monocot/Dicot:
Dicotyledonous Plants
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Exotic:
Yes
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Garden:
No
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Edible:
Yes
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Vegetable:
No
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Endemic to:
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IUCN status:
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Altitude:
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Localities:
Nileswar, Vandanam
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