Group:
1 Angiosperms (Flowering Plants) - I - Dicotyledons
Family:
Cucurbitaceae
Genus:
Citrullus
Common sinhala name:
Komadu
Habit:
Prostrate vine
Origin:
Exotic - Economic Crop
National conservation status:
N/A
Legal status:
N/A
Similar species:
All vernacular names:
Peni Puhul, Karapusa, water melon
Contributors for Images:
FlowerSL (ID- PMR), Sanjeewa Rupasinghe (ID-SR), Jecob de Vlas (ID-JdV) - IDA 100%
Annual climber. Stem much branched, softly hairy; tendrils short, (2—) 3 (4)-branched. Leaves long-petiolate lamina 5—13x 3.5—11 (—15) cm, broadly ovate to ovate in outline, deeply 3-lobed or at times with lateral lobes further divided and lamina appearing 5-lobed, all lobes deeply pinnatifid, hairy, especially beneath and on major nerves above; petiole 2—6(—9) cm long, densely to moderately, long hirsute. Flowers pale yellow, 2.5—3 cm diameter, solitary in leaf axils; pedicel .5 cm long, densely hairy; calyx c. 5 mm long; corolla-lobes 1.2—1.4 X 0.7 mm, broadly ovate, obtuse, strongly veined. Fruit large, up to 20 cm or more diameter, ellipsoid or subglobose, ripening dark green, often marbled with paler grey-green to white markings, flesh white to pinkish-purple. Seeds white through brown or purple to black, longitudinally compressed, very varied in size. (FOC)
Citrullus vulgaris Schrad. ex Ecklon & Zeyher