A succulent fruit of the gourd family, native to tropical
Africa, but under cultivation on every continent except Antarctica. Its vines
grow prostrate, with branched tendrils, deeply cut leaves, and flowers borne
singly in the axil of a leaf. Each light yellow flower produces either pollen
or fruit.
The sweet, juicy flesh may be reddish, white, or yellow.
Flesh colour, shape of the fruit, and thickness of the rind depend on the
variety. Weight varies from 1 to 2 kg (2.5 to 5 pounds) to 20 kg or more. The
number of fruits per vine varies from 2 or 3 to 15. There are about 145
varieties of watermelon – based on their sweetness, color, weight, and days to
maturity.
Watermelon contains vitamin A and some vitamin C. It is usually
eaten raw. The rind is sometimes preserved as a pickle.
The history of watermelons is a long one; there is a
Sanskrit word for watermelon, and fruits are depicted by early Egyptian
artists, indicating an antiquity in agriculture of more than 4,000 years.
(Adapted from Britannica encyclopedia and Online resources)