Cucumis melo

Cucumis melo, the melon, is a species of annual, trailing herb in the gourd family Cucurbitaceae whose exact origin is uncertain, with research pointing variously to the Levant, Egypt, Iran, India, Central Asia or Africa and ancient seeds and rootstocks known to have traveled caravan trade routes. It thrives in subtropical or warm temperate climates with well-fertilized, well-drained soil, and its fruit, botanically a pepo, varies widely by cultivar in flesh sweetness and aroma and in rind texture, from the smooth skin of honeydew to the ribbed European cantaloupe, the wrinkled Casaba and the netted American cantaloupe. Raw cantaloupe is about 90 percent water and 9 percent carbohydrate, supplying 34 calories and notable vitamin A and C per 100 grams. It is a diploid species with 12 chromosomes, monoecious or andromonoecious, and does not cross-breed with watermelon, cucumber, pumpkin or squash.