Watermelon
The watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) is a species of flowering plant in the family Cucurbitaceae. It is a scrambling and trailing vine-like plant cultivated worldwide.
Watermelons are grown in tropical to temperate regions for its large edible berry having a firm rind and no internal divisions; botanically, it is a pepo. The sweet, juicy flesh is usually deep red to pink, with many seeds that are black when mature and white when immature. Seedless varieties exist. The fruit can be eaten raw or pickled, and the rind is edible after cooking. It may also be consumed as a juice or an ingredient in mixed beverages.
The modern watermelon originated in Sudan where it was first domesticated and cultivated. Kordofan melons are the closest relatives and may be progenitors of modern, cultivated watermelons. Wild watermelon seeds were found in Uan Muhuggiag, a prehistoric site in Libya that dates to approximately 3500 BC. Watermelons were domesticated in Sudan and cultivated in Egypt by 2000 BC. Hebrew texts from early in the Christian era place watermelon with other sweet table fruits, and dessert watermelons spread across the Mediterranean world during Roman antiquity.
Considerable breeding effort has developed disease-resistant varieties. Many cultivars are available that produce mature fruit within 100 days of planting. In 2024, China produced 60% of the world's watermelons.
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