General Information

COMMON NAMES: Early Melon; German Zuckermelone TRADITIONAL NAMES: Pātī (MG); Other Polynesian - ‘Atiu (SAM), ‘Atiu (?TAH), Katiu Inana / ‘Atiu Inana (MQA) GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE Africa COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Introduced - Recent, Not naturalised; Land, lowlands SIGNIFICANCE LIST: ; Nationally endangered (seriously)Adornment, Food (Fruit) KEY FEATURES: An annual thin-stemmed vine with large leaves and single tendrils. STEM 4-sides, prickly. LEAVES alternate, heart-shaped (to 10x8cm), dissected to stalk at base, slightly lobed, rough surfaced with stiff hairs. FLOWERS ~1-per-node, 5-petals, to 2cmØ, pale yellow. FRUIT ovoid, to 5x4cm, smooth, ripening creamy-yellow; fragrant and edible. SIMILAR SPECIES: See under Smooth Loofah (Luffa cylindrica var. insularum).

Cook Islands Distribution

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Southern Group: Present    Makatea: -
RR	MG	AT	MK	MT	AK	PL	TK	MN
-	+	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Northern Group:
TN	MH	RK	PK	NS	SW
-	-	-	-	-	-

Cucumis melo var. agrestis
TAXONOMY: PLANTAE; ANTHOPHYTA (=Angiospermae); MAGNOLIOPSIDA (=Dicotyledones); DILLENIIDAE; Violales; CUCURBITACEAE

SIGNIFICANCE NOTES -
BIODIVERSITY: Nationally endangered (seriously). Comment: Known only from Mangaia.
POSITIVE SIGNIFICANCE: Adornment, Food (Fruit). Comments: Formerly eaten raw in Mangaia, and still used in neck garlands in the Marquesas (GM98).

GENERAL NOTE: Introduced to Polynesia by the early Spanish expeditions, such as Quiros (1606) to the new Hebrides and Boenechea (1772) to Tahiti. The latter introduced maize, wheat, sweet potato, papaya, water melon and other melons - probably including the present species. In ancient times in the Marquesas the fruit was esteemed in neck garlands (hei), and it was a famine food - it was known as katiu inana, ‘Atiu inana and ‘Otio inana.

Vouchers:
Mangaia: specimen, Alan Tuara, 1/1994, ID GMcC.

References:
None recorded.

Data Update History (information):
zTX, zB02, zM02, zD02

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