Cucumis melo

Cucumis melo, also known asmelon,is a species ofCucumisthat has been developed into many cultivated varieties. The fruit is apepo. The flesh is either sweet or bland, with or without an aroma, and the rind can be smooth (such ashoneydew), ribbed (such as Europeancantaloupe), wrinkled (such as Cassaba melon), or netted (such as Americancantaloupe). The species is sometimes referred to asmuskmelon,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.
The origin of melons is not known. Research has revealed that seeds androotstockswere 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,India or Central Asia.Still others support an African origin, and in modern times wild melons can still be found in some African countries.
The melon is anannual, trailing herb.It grows well in subtropical or warm, temperate climates.It can be found as a weed around sites of recently built airports inAmerican Samoa.
Melons prefer warm, well-fertilized soil with good drainage that is rich in nutrients,but are vulnerable todowny mildewandanthracnose. Disease risk is reduced bycrop rotationwith non-cucurbitcrops, avoiding crops susceptible to similar diseases as melons.Cross pollinationhas resulted in some varieties developing resistance topowdery mildew.Insects attracted to melons include thecucumber beetle,melon aphid,melonworm mothand thepickleworm.
Melons aremonoeciousorandromonoeciousplants.They do not cross withwatermelon,cucumber,pumpkin, orsquash, but varieties within the species intercross frequently.The genome ofCucumis melowas first sequenced in 2012.Some authors treatC. meloas having two subspecies,C. melo agrestisandC. 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) includeC. melovar.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,chinensisandmakuwa(Oriental melon).
Not all varieties are sweet melons. Thesnake melon, also called the Armenian cucumber and Serpent cucumber, is a non-sweet melon found throughout Asia from Turkey to Japan.It is similar to acucumberin taste and appearance.Outside Asia, snake melons are grown in the United States, Italy, Sudan and parts of North Africa, including Egypt.The snake melon is more popular in Arab countries.
Other varieties grown in Africa are bitter, cultivated for their edible seeds.
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.
For a reference amount of 100 g (3.5 oz), a raw cantaloupe melon provides 34caloriesand is a rich source (defined as at least 20% ofDaily Value, DV) of bothvitamin Aandvitamin C; othermicronutrientsare at a negligible level.A raw melon is 90% water and 9%carbohydrates, with less than 1% each ofproteinandfat.
In addition to their consumption when fresh, melons are sometimesdried. 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.TheJapaneseliqueurMidoriis flavored with melon.
It was once a frequently cultivated plant inTonga(katiu) as a snack and its flowers used forleis, but has since been extirpated.
There is debate among scholars whether theabattiachinThe Book of Numbers 11:5refers to a melon or awatermelon.Both types of melon were known inAncient Egyptand other settled areas. Some botanists consider melons native to theLevantand Egypt, while others place the origin inPersia,India or Central Asia, thus the origin is uncertain. Researchers have shown that seeds androotstockswere among the goods traded along the caravan routes of the Ancient World.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.
Melon was domesticated in West Asia and over time manycultivarsdeveloped with variety in shape and sweetness. Iran, India, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and China become centers for melon production.Melons were consumed in Ancient Greece and Rome.