Cook Islands Biodiversity & Natural Heritage
 

Cucumis melo var. agrestis

Pātī (MG)

Early Melon

Multimedia & Additional Resources

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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).

Enlarged Image of 'Cucumis melo var. agrestis'

Cook Islands Distribution

View Distribution Map View Distribution Map

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

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

Key to Symbols

Scientific Taxonomy

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

More Information

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 & References

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

References:
None recorded.

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

Web Resources

Citation Information

McCormack, Gerald (2007) Cook Islands Biodiversity Database, Version 2007.2. Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga. Online at http://cookislands.bishopmuseum.org. Copy citation to system clipboard
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