Citrullus Lanatus

Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug

Vine, Annual, Edible, Vegetable, Annual herb.

Annual

Separate male and female flowers develop on the same plant (monoecious) on a short stalk at a solitary leaf axil. There are 5 sepals and a 5-part corolla. The female flower has an inferior ovary and the male flower has 3 stamens. Melons develop from the female flower if successfully fertilized by the male flower., Female flowers on 3–45 mm. long pedicels; ovary 6–15 × 4–8 mm., ellipsoid or subglobose, villous; receptacle-tube 1·5–2 mm. long, lobes 2·5–5·5 mm. long; corolla as in male flowers. male flowers on ± villous 12–45 mm. long pedicels; receptacle-tube 2.5–5 mm. long, pale green, lobes 2·5–5 mm. long, lanceolate. Petals 0·7–1·9 × 0·4–1·4 cm., obovate, rounded, apiculate.

The plant produces melons which are large modified berries called a pepo. They are rounded to oval mottled green with darker green rind. Black, cream or mottled colored elliptic seeds. Flesh general red or pink but can also be yellowish., Fruit of wild plants 1·5–20 cm. in diameter, subglobose, greenish mottled with darker green, of cultivated plants up to 60 × 30 cm., subglobose or ellipsoid, green or yellowish, concolorous or variously mottled or striped; fruit-stalk 2–5 cm. long.