A weedy summer annual form of muskmelon , with trailing prostrate stems to 10 m long or more and often forming large mats. Fruits are more or less edible, but plants are most often grown as ornamentals or for the fragrance of the fruits.
Plants require much moisture, grow rapidly, and are often highly productive.
Introduced from tropical Africa. Require much water to reach maturity. High seedling mortality is common. Taprooted, with extensive, shallow lateral roots that maximize absorptive area. Adventitious roots occasionally develop at some leaf nodes.