Cucumis melo

De Wilde, Willem J. J. O. & Duyfjes, Brigitta E. E., 2007, The wild species of Cucumis L. (Cucurbitaceae) in South-East Asia, Adansonia (3) 29 (2), pp. 239-248 : 246

3. Cucumis melo L.

Species Plantarum ed. 1: 1011 (1753). — Keraudren, Flore du Cambodge, du Laos et du Viêt-nam 15: 70 (1975). — C. Jeffrey, Kew Bulletin 34: 793 (1980b). — J. H. Kirkbride Biosystematic Monograph of the Genus Cucumis ( Cucurbitaceae) : 79 (1993). — Type: cultivated at Uppsala, Herb. Linn. No. 1152.8 (lecto-, designated by Meeuse 1962: 61).

Cucumis melo L. var. agrestis Naudin, Annales des Sciences naturelles, Botanique, sér. 4, 11: 73 (1859); 4, 12: 110 (1859). — C. melo L. subsp. agrestis (Naudin) Pangalo, Cucurbitacées , in P. Zhukovsky, La Turquie agricole: 534 (1933). — J. H. Kirkbride, Biosystematic Monograph of the Genus Cucumis ( Cucurbitaceae) : 81 (1993). — Type: cultivated at Paris from seeds from India, Naudin s.n. (lecto-, P; isolecto-, P, designated by Kirkbride 1993: 105).

REMARKS

Cucumis melo , the most variable species in Cucumis , originates from Africa ( Renner et al. 2007) and is at present cultivated all over the world. The smallfruited wild and weedy var. agrestis Naudin likewise is widely distributed in the Old World, viz. Africa, Asia ( India) and Australia, including the monsoon area on poorer soils in Malesia and possibly in Indochina. The variety agrestis is distinguishable by having appressed hairs on the ovary and 2-5 cm long fruit; in specimens of the cultivated var. melo (with numerous cultivars) the hairs on the ovary are spreading ( Kirkbride 1993: 80).

Recently Cucumis bisexualis A.M.Lu & G.C.Wang (1984) , with hermaphroditic flowers and small fruits has been described from a single collection from northern China. Its status as species very close to Cucumis melo is disputable.