Watermelon

Cucurbitaceae Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Mansf.

Watermelons are large, smooth skinned fruits, grown on prostrate, vinelike stems. Stems grow to 10 or more feet in length. Leaves are fairly large, a foot or more in length, and deeply notched. Fruits generally spherical to pronounced oblong oval. On different varieties they range from 6 or 8 to 50 pounds or more in weight. Fruit consists of a firm outer rind, a layer of white inner rind flesh 0.5 to 1 inch thick, and an interior colored edible pulp in which the seeds are imbedded.

Production in the U.S.: Commercial 1,440,000 tons.

Use: Fresh eating. Some inner rind pulp preserved.

Part consumed: Mainly interior colored pulp only. Some preserving of white inner rind flesh.