Melon

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Melon (or "muskmelon"[muskmelon at m-w.com]) is the term for both the fruit and the plant of a typically vine-like (climber and trailer) herb that was first cultivated more than 4000 years ago (circa 2000 BC) in Persia and Africa. This flowering plant bears an accessory fruit of a type that botanists call a false berry. Many different melon cultivars have been produced, perhaps the most popular or well-known being cantaloupe and honeydew.

The watermelon, also a cucurbit, is classified in the genus Citrullus.

Types

The subspecies Cucumis melo melo includes numerous interfertile cultivar groups (sometimes as varieties) classified as follows:

• Cantalupensis Group includes the European cantaloupe with skin that is rough and warty, not netted. This melon is not cultivated in North America, but it is grown in South Africa, where it is called the spanspek. Listed sometimes as Cucumis melo cantalupensis.

• Chito Group is the Garden lemon. Also known as the chate of Egypt, Mango melon, Lemon melon, Orange melon, Apple melon, or Vine peach. Referred to sometimes as Cucumis melo melo chito.

• Conomon Group is the oriental pickling melon; it is also known as the Sweet melon, Chekiang melon, or Chinese white cucumber.

• Dudaim Group is the Apple melon (although see Chito group above); it is also known as the Fragrant melon, Pocket melon, Queen Anne's pocket melon, Vine pomegranate, Plum granny, and Dudaim melon. Listed sometimes within Cucumis melo melo var. chito.

• Flexuosus Group is the Azerbaijanian cucumber; also known as the Snake melon, Serpent cucumber, Snake cucumber, Serpent melon, or Oriental cucumber.

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

• Makuwa Group is the Japanese cantaloupe.

• Reticulatus Group includes the Netted melon, Winter melon, and North American cantaloupe. Other common names are Nutmeg melon and Persian melon These are the most popular melons cultivated in commerce. Classified as Cucumis melo melo var. cantalupensis by some authors. This group includes the recently rediscovered Montreal melon.

Samarkand melon vendor in the 1910s.