Cucumis melo var. inodorus

H. Jacq.

Honeydew melons, Casaba melon, Winter melon

Cucurbitaceae Edible: Fruit, Seeds, Vegetable 8,388 iNaturalist observations

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Summary

Cucumis melo, also known as melon, 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 Casaba melon), or netted (such as American cantaloupe). The species is sometimes referred to as muskmelon. However, 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 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, India or Central Asia. Still others support an African origin; in modern times, wild melons can still be found in some African countries.

Description

A pumpkin family plant. It is an annual herb. These are the honey dew melons. They are a small bushy plant. The stems lie along the ground. The leaves are thin and hairy. They are 10-18 cm long and have lobes. The flowers occur singly and are yellow and in the axils of leaves. The fruit have hard rinds. The skin is often smooth and pale green and the flesh yellow. The fruit do not have a smell.

Edible Uses

The fruit are eaten fresh; seeds are also edible.

Traditional Uses

Fruit are eaten fresh.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Distribution

It is a subtropical plant.

Where It Grows

Africa, Australia, Brazil, China, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America,

Cultivation

Plants are grown from seed.

Other Information

It is a commercially cultivated vegetable.

Notes

There are about 25 Cucumis species.

Nutrition

Part	Moisture	kJ	kcal	Protein	Vit A	Vit C	Iron	Zinc
Fruit	94.2	90	22	0.6	100	25	0.2	0.1

Synonyms

Probably now Cucumis melo Inodorus group

Also Known As

Melao, melao-do-tipo-amarelo

References (10)

Cheifetz, A., (ed), 1999, 500 popular vegetables, herbs, fruits and nuts for Australian Gardeners. Random House p 187
Hadfield, J., 2001, The A-Z of Vegetable Gardening in South Africa. Struik p 110
Hu, Shiu-ying, 2005, Food Plants of China. The Chinese University Press. p 697
Kays, S. J., and Dias, J. C. S., 1995, Common Names of Commercially Cultivated Vegetables of the World in 15 languages. Economic Botany, Vol. 49, No. 2, pp. 115-152
Kiple, K.F. & Ornelas, K.C., (eds), 2000, The Cambridge World History of Food. CUP p 1813

Show all 10 references

Lorenzi, H., Bacher, L., Lacerda, M. & Sartori, S., 2006, Brazilian Fruits & Cultivated Exotics. Sao Paulo, Instituto Plantarum de Estuados da Flora Ltda. p 390
Monogr. melon 173. 1832
Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/
USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN). [Online Database] National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Available: www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/econ.pl (10 April 2000)
Wiersema, J. H. & Leon, B., 2013, World Economic Plants. A Standard Reference CRC Press. 2nd Ed. p 216