Melocactus communis

Melon Mel"on (m[e^]l"[u^]n), n. [F., fr. L. melo, for melopepo an apple-shaped melon, Gr. mhlope`pwn; mh^lon apple + pe`pwn a species of large melon; cf. L. malum apple. Cf. {Marmalade}.] [1913 Webster] 1. (Bot.) The juicy fruit of certain cucurbitaceous plants, as the muskmelon, watermelon, and citron melon; also, the plant that produces the fruit. [1913 Webster]

2. (Zo["o]l.) A large, ornamental, marine, univalve shell of the genus {Melo}. [1913 Webster]

{Melon beetle} (Zo["o]l.), a small leaf beetle ({Diabrotiea vittata}), which damages the leaves of melon vines.

{Melon cactus}, {Melon thistle}. (a) (Bot.) A genus of cactaceous plants ({Melocactus}) having a fleshy and usually globose stem with the surface divided into spiny longitudinal ridges, and bearing at the top a prickly and woolly crown in which the small pink flowers are half concealed. {Melocactus communis}, from the West Indies, is often cultivated, and sometimes called {Turk's cap}. (b) The related genus {Mamillaria}, in which the stem is tubercled rather than ribbed, and the flowers sometimes large. See Illust. under {Cactus}. [1913 Webster]