Weeds of Australia - Fact Sheet

Top Scientific Name Synonyms Family Common Names Origin Naturalised Distribution Notes

Scientific Name

Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai var. lanatus

Synonyms

Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai
Citrullus vulgaris Schrad.
Colocynthis citrullus (L.) Kuntze nom. illeg.
Cucurbita citrullus L.
Momordica lanata Thunb.

Family

Cucurbitaceae

Common Names

Afghan melon, bastard melon, bitter apple, bitter melon, camel melon, colocynth, kaffir melon, mickey melon, paddy melon, paddymelon, pie melon, watermelon, white watermelon, wild melon, wild watermelon

Origin

The exact origin of this species is uncertain, but it is thought to be native to large parts of Africa and Asia.

Naturalised Distribution

A very widespread species that is naturalised throughout most of Australia, and is particularly common in semi-arid regions. It is widely naturalised in Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory. Also naturalised in ACT and the northern and north-western parts of Victoria.

Notes

Wild melon (Citrullus lanatus var. lanatus) is commonly a weed of pastures and agricultural areas, but also grows on floodplains, along river banks, in the centres of dry lakes, in drainage areas, and in disturbed sandy sites. It is currently regarded as a priority environmental weed in one Natural Resource Management region.

The common edible watermelon is a cultivated variant of this species, but it is not widely naturalised or particularly weedy in Australia.