,r\/*> - National Science Foundation

CUCURBITACEAE
4. Colocynthis citnillus (Linn.) Kuntze, Abcywick., Ccyl. Journ. Sci. 2(2): 233. 1959. (Fig. 162).
Citrullus fistulosus Stocks—Citrullus vulgaris Schrad.—Cucumis citrullus DC.—Cucurbita
citrullus Linn.
Engl. Water Melon; Sinh. Komadu, Peni-Komadu; 7am. Pitcha, Pullum; Hindi
Halinda, Hindwana, Karbuj, Samanka, Tarbuz, Tarbuza, Turmuz; Sans. Alpapramanaka,
Brihadgold, Chayaphula, Chelana, Chitra, Chitraphala, Chitravallika, Ghrinaphala, Godumba,
Kalinda, Kalinga, Krishnabija, Latapanasa, Madhuraphala, Mansala, Mansaphala, Meta,
Mutrala, Natamra, Rajatinisha, Raktabija, Seta, Shirnavrinta, Sukhasha, Sukhavasa, Suvartula,
Tarambuja, Vrittaphala.
An extensively, climbing annual with thick, angular, branching stems; young shoots
villous, woolly at their tips, tendrils bifid and pubescent: leaves simple alternate, 7.5—20 cm
long, ovate to ovate-oblong in outline, cordate at base, deeply or moderately 3—7 lobed with
the lobes pinnatifid, glabrous or somewhat hairy, petioles a little shorter than the limb, villous;
flowers about 2—3.5 cm diameter, monoecious, yellow, solitary and axillary; sepals 5, fused
into a campanulate calyx-tube, lobes narrowly lanceolate; petals 5, fused, subcampanulate,
5-partite beyond the middle, yellow within, greenish outside, villous, lobes prominently 5-nerved;
male flowers: stamens 3, epipetaious, filaments short, free; female flowers: stamens 3,
rudimentary, setose or ligulate; ovary inferior, ovules many, horizontal, style short, stigmas 3;
fruit about 25 cm diameter, subglobose or ellipsoid, smooth, greenish with a glaucous waxy
coating, flesh juicy, red or yellowish white, seeds black margined..
Illustrations. Stocks in Hook. Kew. Journ. Bot. 3: pi 3.; Kirtikar and Basu, Indian
Med. Plants, pi 461. 1933.
Distribution. Indigenous to tropical and South Africa but cultivated in most of
the eastern countries In Ceylon, it is cultivated in the dry zone during the rainy season.
Composition. Contains ascorbic acid oxidase, while the flesh of the fruit contains
saccharose, dextrose, levulose, invert sugar, citrullin, lycopin, carotin, etc. The peel contains
a fixed oil, arachidic acid and traces of copper. The seed yields an oil, proteins, a small amount
of phytosterol, cucurbitot and an active principal, cucurbocitrin.
Uses. The juice of the root is used to arrest haemorrhage after abortion. The seeds
are nutritive. The fruit is frequently eaten to quench thirst. The fruit pulp, juice and seeds
are each credited with diuretic properties probably due to the presence of the aminoacids, arginine
andcitrulline. In Africa, the seed is an article of commerce used as a medicine, food, masticatory
and a source of oil. The seed is also roasted and eaten in India and China.
131