Cucumis melo
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Cucurbitales
Family:	Cucurbitaceae
Genus:	Cucumis
Species:	C. melo
Binomial name
Cucumis melo L.
Synonyms[1]
List Cucumis acidus Jacq. Cucumis agrestis (Naudin) Greb. nom. inval. Cucumis alba Nakai Cucumis ambiguus Fenzl ex Hook.f. nom. inval. Cucumis arenarius Schumach. & Thonn. Cucumis aromaticus Royle Cucumis bardanus Fenzl ex Naudin nom. inval. Cucumis bisexualis A.M.Lu & G.C.Wang Cucumis callosus (Rottler) Cogn. Cucumis campechianus Kunth Cucumis cantalupensis Haberle ex M.Roem. nom. illeg. Cucumis cantalupo Rchb. Cucumis chate Hasselq. Cucumis chate L. Cucumis chinensis (Pangalo) Pangalo Cucumis chito C.Morren Cucumis cicatrisatus Stocks Cucumis cognata Fenzl ex Hook.f. nom. inval. Cucumis conomon Thunb. Cucumis cubensis Schrad. Cucumis deliciosus Salisb. nom. illeg. Cucumis dudaim L. Cucumis eriocarpus Boiss. & Noë Cucumis erivanicus Steud. nom. inval. Cucumis flexuosus L. Cucumis jamaicensis Bertero ex Spreng. Cucumis jucunda F.Muell. Cucumis laevigatus Chiov. Cucumis maculatus Willd. Cucumis microcarpus (Alef.) Pangalo Cucumis microsperma Nakai Cucumis microspermus Nakai Cucumis momordica Roxb. Cucumis moschatus Gray nom. illeg. Cucumis odoratissimus Moench nom. illeg. Cucumis odoratissimus W.M.Carp. & Riddell nom. illeg. Cucumis officinarum-melo Crantz Cucumis orientalis Kudr. Cucumis pancherianus Naudin Cucumis pedatifidus Schrad. Cucumis persicodorus Seitz Cucumis persicus (Sarg.) M.Roem. Cucumis pictus Jacq. Cucumis princeps Wender. Cucumis pseudocolocynthis Royle Cucumis pseudocolocynthis Wender. Cucumis pubescens Willd. Cucumis pyriformis Roxb. ex Wight & Arn. nom. inval. Cucumis reflexus Zeyh. ex Ser. nom. inval. Cucumis reginae Schrad. Cucumis schraderianus M.Roem. Cucumis serotinus Haberle ex Seitz Cucumis trigonus Roxb. Cucumis turbinatus Roxb. Cucumis umbilicatus Salisb. nom. illeg. Cucumis utilissimus Roxb. Cucumis villosus Boiss. & Noë nom. inval. Cucurbita aspera Sol. ex G.Forst. nom. inval. Ecballium lambertianum M.Roem. Melo adana (Pangalo) Pangalo Melo adzhur Pangalo Melo agrestis (Naudin) Pangalo Melo ameri Pangalo Melo cantalupensis (Naudin) Pangalo Melo cassaba Pangalo Melo chandalak Pangalo Melo chinensis Pangalo Melo conomon Pangalo Melo dudaim (L.) Sageret Melo figari Pangalo Melo flexuosus (L.) Pangalo Melo microcarpus (Alef.) Pangalo Melo monoclinus Pangalo Melo orientalis (Kudr.) Nabiev Melo persicus Sageret Melo sativus Sageret Melo vulgaris Moench ex Cogn. Melo zard Pangalo Melo × ambiguua Pangalo

Cucumis melo, also known as melon,^[2][3] is a species of Cucumis that has been developed into many cultivated varieties. The fruit is a pepo. The flesh is either sweet or bland, with or without an aroma, and the rind can be smooth (such as honeydew), ribbed (such as European cantaloupe), wrinkled (such as Cassaba melon), or netted (such as American cantaloupe). The species is sometimes referred to as muskmelon,^[4] but there is no consensus about the usage of this term, as it can also be used as a specific name for the musky netted-rind American cantaloupe, or as a generic name for any sweet-flesh variety such the inodorous smooth-rind honeydew melon.^[5][6]

The origin of melons is not known. Research has revealed that seeds and rootstocks were among the goods traded along the caravan routes of the Ancient World. Some botanists consider melons native to the Levant and Egypt, while others place their origin in Iran,^[7] India or Central Asia.^[8] Still others support an African origin, and in modern times wild melons can still be found in some African countries.^[9]

The melon is an annual, trailing herb.^[8] It grows well in subtropical or warm, temperate climates.^[9] Melons prefer warm, well-fertilized soil with good drainage that is rich in nutrients,^[8] but are vulnerable to downy mildew and anthracnose. Disease risk is reduced by crop rotation with non-cucurbit crops, avoiding crops susceptible to similar diseases as melons. Cross pollination has resulted in some varieties developing resistance to powdery mildew.^[10] Insects attracted to melons include the cucumber beetle, melon aphid, melonworm moth and the pickleworm.^[10]

Melons are monoecious or andromonoecious plants.^[11] They do not cross with watermelon, cucumber, pumpkin, or squash, but varieties within the species intercross frequently.^[12] The genome of Cucumis melo was first sequenced in 2012.^[13] Some authors treat C. melo as having two subspecies, C. melo agrestis and C. melo melo. Variants within these subspecies fall into groups whose genetics largely agree with their phenotypic traits, such as disease resistance, rind texture, flesh color, and fruit shape. Variants or landraces (some of which were originally classified as species; see the synonyms list to the right) include C. melo var. acidulus (Mangalore melon), adana, agrestis (wild melon), ameri (summer melon), cantalupensis (cantaloupe), reticulatus (muskmelon), chandalak, chate, chito, conomon (Oriental pickling melon), dudaim (pocket melon), flexuosus (snake melon), inodorus (winter melon), momordica (snap melon), tibish, chinensis and makuwa (Oriental melon).

Not all varieties are sweet melons. The snake melon, also called the Armenian cucumber and Serpent cucumber, is a non-sweet melon found throughout Asia from Turkey to Japan.^[14][9] It is similar to a cucumber in taste and appearance.^[15] Outside Asia, snake melons are grown in the United States, Italy, Sudan and parts of North Africa, including Egypt.^[9] The snake melon is more popular in Arab countries.^[15]

Other varieties grown in Africa are bitter, cultivated for their edible seeds.^[9]

For commercially grown varieties certain features like protective hard netting and firm flesh are preferred for purposes of shipping and other requirements of commercial markets.^[10]

Per 100 gram serving, cantaloupe melons provide 34 calories and are a rich source (defined as at least 20% of daily value, or DV) of both vitamin A (68% DV) and vitamin C (61% DV). Other nutrients are at a negligible level.^[16] Melons are 90% water and 9% carbohydrates, with less than 1% each of protein and fat.^[16]

In addition to their consumption when fresh, melons are sometimes dried. Other varieties are cooked, or grown for their seeds, which are processed to produce melon oil. Still other varieties are grown only for their pleasant fragrance.^[17] The Japanese liqueur Midori is flavored with melon.

There is debate among scholars whether the abattiach in The Book of Numbers 11:5 refers to a melon or a watermelon.^[18] Both types of melon were known in Ancient Egypt and other settled areas. Some botanists consider melons native to the Levant and Egypt, while others n Persia,^[19] India or Central Asia, thus the origin is uncertain. Researchers have shown that seeds and rootstocks were among the goods traded along the caravan routes of the Ancient World.^[8] Several scientists support an African origin, and in modern times wild melons can still be found in several African countries in East Africa like Ethiopia, Somalia and Tanzania.^[9]

Melon was domesticated in West Asia and over time many cultivars developed with variety in shape and sweetness. Iran, India, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and China become centers for melon production.^[9] Melons were consumed in Ancient Greece and Rome.^[20]

• 
  Galia melon
• 
  Japanese "crown melon" intended as a high-priced gift: The pictured crown melon is 6300 yen, or about US$59
• 
  'Squared melon' grown in Atsumi District, Aichi Japan, known as kakumero
• 
  The Armenian cucumber, despite the name, is actually a type of melon.
• 
  Melon vendor in Samarkand (between 1905 and 1915)
• 
  Oriental pickling melon
• 
  Muskmelon seeds

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
Cucumis melo (category)

• Cucumis melo L. – Purdue University, Center for New Crops & Plant Products.
• Sorting Cucumis names – Multilingual multiscript plant name database
• Cook's Thesaurus: Melons – Varietal names and pictures
• "Cucumis melo". Plants for a Future.