 Wild melon and cucumber family
(Cucurbitaceae)
Cucurbitaceae is not an individual species, but is, rather, an entire family. Many of its members are not found in southern Africa, and PhytoTrade Africa’s interest is obviously in those that do. Of these, the following are the most important:
1. The Tsamma melon or wild watermelon (Citrullus lanatus)
Description
A creeping annual herb, the Tsamma melon has hairy stems, forked tendrils and three-lobed hairy leaves. Its flowers are bright yellow.
Fruit
Fruits vary significantly, from small and round in the wild, to larger and more oblong-shaped under cultivation. The surface is smooth, pale green with irregular bands of mottled darker green radiating from the stalk. The flesh is a pale green or yellow, and contains numerous brown seeds.
Distribution
Although found all over the sub-region, the Tsamma melon is most closely associated with the Kalahari sands of Namibia, Botswana, south-western Zambia and western Zimbabwe.
Traditional uses
Traditionally a crucial water-source in the Kalahari, the Tsamma melon has always been a popular food. In addition to the flesh, which is pounded into a pulp and then eaten and drunk, the seeds are considered a delicacy. Roasted, sieved and winnowed, they are ground on a flat stone into a coarse, whitish meal, which is a nutritious and pleasantly nutty-tasting food.
The seed-meal also has a long history of use as a cosmetic. After grinding, it is chewed and moistened with saliva, and then smeared over the body and rubbed in thoroughly. This is said to impart a healthy reddish colour, and blemish-free complexion, to the skin.
2. The Jelly melon or African horned cucumber (Cucumis metuliferus)
Description
Another creeping annual, the Jelly melon’s stems radiate from a woody rootstock, with very distinctive fruits (see below).
Fruit
The large yellow, orange or red fruits have widely spaced, very large conical protuberances on their surfaces. These prickles are blunt, about 10mm long and 2-5mm in diameter. The fruit flesh is greenish and translucent.
Distribution
The jelly melon is found throughout the southern African region, and is present in all PhytoTrade Africa countries.
Known properties
The Jelly melon has become increasingly known to international markets as an exotic and unusual fruit. It is commercially exported from Kenya and New Zealand, where it has been given the name ‘Kiwano’, a registered trademark.
3. The Calabash (Lagenaria siceraria)
Description
More of a pumpkin than a melon, the calabash is a creeping and climbing annual herb with stems supported by many tendrils. The large, rounded leaves have serrated edges and hairy under-sides. The leaf stalks and young fruits are also hairy. The characteristic white flowers (the only cucurbit to have white flowers) open at night.
Fruit
The fruit, although highly variable in both size and shape, nevertheless have a very distinctive form. Initially green, the fruit becomes a pale brown as it ripens. Eventually it dries out, leaving a thick, hard, hollow shell with little inside except its seeds, the fruit having been completely desiccated. The seeds themselves are also unique amongst the cucurbits, in that they are angular in shape, with ridges and wings along the surface.
Distribution
This well-known fruit is indigenous to Africa, and found all over the continent. It is comparatively common in each of the PhytoTrade Africa countries.
Traditional uses
Once dry, the calabash is very widely used for bowls, cups, ladles, bottles, floats, pipes and musical instruments. It is also popularly sold at curio stalls and craft markets as an attractive natural container.
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