Annual, plants robust. Leaves softly hairy. Flowers 2-3 cm long, peduncle usually 2 cm long. Fruits large, ovoid, spherical or elliptic.

Fl. Per.: April-July.

Lectotype: Cucumis foliorum angulis rotundatis, pomis torulosis L., Hort. Cliff. 451. (1738) (Jeffrey, l.c. 1980).

Distribution: Cultivated throughout the warmer parts of the world.

Many cultivated varieties and races are grown in various parts of the world differing in fruit shape, size and colour. Surface of the fruit is markedly differnt in thickness, colour and marking. The inner flesh also varies in colour, taste, thickness and flavour. Apart from several cultivars of melon two varieties Sarda and Garma are probably confined to Turkey (?), Afghanistan, Pakistan and to a limited extent in India. Sarda is yellow, with reticulated and thin rind and flesh is cream to whitish, while Garma is greenish yellow with dark green stripes. The rind is wrinkled and thick, with greenish white flesh.