Along with sweetness, flavor is another important eating quality component. Most small melons have a typical musky taste that is due to a combination of aromatic compounds. Sweetness and flavor are not well correlated. Small melons that are sweet but have no flavor are of poor eating quality and bland taste. Commercial small melons belong to three main botanical groups.
Fruits are medium sized, with a netless, warty rind.
The true cantaloupe and French Charentais melons belong to this group. Fruits have netting and a thick flesh that can be orange, white, or yellow. Eastern and western muskmelons and Persian melons belong to this group. Rind appearance and flesh color depend on the type of melon. Western cantaloupes are egg-shaped, totally covered by a net, have no sutures, and weigh 2 to 3 pounds each.