melon are member of the cucurbit (Cucurbitaceae) family, which also includes several warm season vegetables such as watermelon, squash and cucumber. Cantaloupes and specialty melons grow as prostrate vines with andromonecious flowering, both perfect (with male and female flower parts) and imperfect (male flowers).
The scientific name for cantaloupes (muskmelons) and specialty melons is Cucumis melo. This species is subdivided into seven botanical variants: cantaloupensis, reticulatous, inodorous, flexuosus, conomon, chito and dudaim. Only two of the seven variants have significant commercial importance in the United States. These are the reticulatous and inodorous variants.