The New Student's Reference Work/Cucumis

Cu′cumis. A genus of plants of the gourd family, to which belong the various forms of muskmelons and cucumbers. It belongs to the tropics and contains about 30 species, mostly in Africa and the East Indies. The numerous forms of muskmelon, cantaloupe, etc. are forms of the C. Melo from southern Asia. The cucumbers are forms of C. Sativus, also from southern Asia.