Melon

Melon (Cucumis melo; Muskmelon, Family Cucurbitaceae) is the fruit and plant of typically vine-like (climbers and trailers) herbs that first started being cultivated more than 4000 years ago (~ 2000 BC) in Persia and Africa. The melon fruit is an accessory fruit called a false berry. Many different cultivars have been produced, the most popular being Cantaloupe and Honeydew. The Water melon (not Cucumis; see below) is another very popular melon. The Subspecies melo includes numerous interfertile cultivar groups (sometimes as varieties):

• Cucumis melo melo Cantalupensis Group includes the true Canteloupe with rough-warty (not netted) skin (also: True cantaloupe, European cantaloupe). This melon is not cultivated in North America. Listed sometimes as Cucumis melo cantalupensis.

• Cucumis melo melo Chito Group is the Garden lemon (also Chate of Egypt, Mango melon, Lemon melon, Orange melon, Apple melon, Vine peach). Listed sometimes as Cucumis melo melo chito.

• Cucumis melo melo Conomon Group is the Oriental pickling melon (also: Sweet melon, Cheikiang melon, Chinese white cucumber).

• Cucumis melo melo Dudaim Group is the Apple melon (also: Fragrant melon, Pocket melon, Queen Anne's pocket melon, Vine pomegranate, Plum granny, Dudaim melon). Listed sometimes within Cucumis melo melo var. chito (C. Morren) Naudin.

• Cucumis melo melo Flexuosus Group is the Armenian cucumber (also: Snake melon, Serpent cucumber, Snake cucumber, Serpent melon, Oriental cucumber).

• Cucumis melo melo Inodorus Group includes Honeydew, Crenshaw, Casaba, Winter melons (also: American melon, Fragrant melon, Oriental sweet melon). These have smooth rinds and do not have a musky odor. The Honeydew is the third most popular type of melon, after the Water melon and Cantaloupe. Honeydew has a smooth, white rind and sweet green flesh. When eaten, the texture is similar to a Cantaloupe, but the flavor more subtle and sweeter. Classified sometimes as Cucumis melo inodorus

• Cucumis melo melo Makuwa Group is the Japanese cantaloupe.

• Cucumis melo melo Reticulatus Group includes Muskmellon, Netted melon, and Cantaloupe (US) of commerce, although this is not the true canteloupe. Other common names are Nutmeg melon, American cantaloupe, False cantaloupe, and Persian melon. These are the most popular melons cultivated in commerce. May be classified in Cucumis melo melo var. cantalupensis Naudin by some authors.

The culture of Honeydew and Cantaloupe requires a good deal of readily available water for irrigation, and long, hot summers. These melons are susceptible to fungal infections by fusarium and verticillium wilts, as well as a bacterial wilt transmitted by the cucumber beetle.

References and External Links

• Mabberley, D.J. 1987. The Plant Book. A portable dictionary of the higher plants. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. 706 p. ISBN 0 521 34060 8.
• Magness, J.R., G.M. Markle, C.C. Compton. 1971. Food and feed crops of the United States. Interregional Research Project IR-4, IR Bul. 1 (Bul. 828 New Jersey Agr. Expt. Sta.).
• Cucumis melo L. – Purdue University, Center for New Crops & Plant Products.
• Sorting Cucumis names – Multilingual multiscript plant name database