Watermelon (
Citrullus lanatus var.
lanatus, family
Cucurbitaceae) is a vine-like (scrambler and trailer)
flowering plant originally from southern
Africa. It is a large, sprawling
annual plant with coarse, hairy pinnately-lobed leaves and white to yellow flowers. It is grown for its edible fruit, also known as a
watermelon, which is a special kind of
berry botanically called a
pepo. The fruit has a smooth hard rind, usually green with dark green stripes or yellow spots, and a juicy, sweet interior flesh, usually deep red to pink, but sometimes orange, yellow, or white, with many seeds.
