High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The citron melon (Citrullus lanatus), or tsamma, is thought to be the original/ancestral variety of watermelon. It is in the family cucurbit which consists of various squashes, melons, and gourds. Its fruit has a hard white flesh, rendering it less likely to be eaten raw; more often it is "pickled" or used to make preserves. It is especially useful for the latter, because it has a high pectin content.