the one and only Poets Post today reads as follows....
Melons are any of various plants of the family Cucurbitaceae. They have sweet, edible, and fleshy fruit. Melons can also specifically refer to Cucumis melos, commonly known as "true melons" or simply "melons". The term "melons" can apply to both the plant and its fruit. Botanically, melons are a kind of berry, specifically a "pepo".
The word itself derives from Latin melopepos (a kind of round melons), which is the Latinization of the Greek μηλοπÎπων, meaning "melons", itself a compound of μῆλον, "apples", treefruits" and Ï€Îπων, amongst others "kinds of gourds or melons". Many different cultivars have been produced, particularly of the true melons, such as the cantaloupe and honeydew.
So, in answer to the question....
'Do melons hail from Spain'?
The answer is an unequivocal no.
Melons though have had quite a journey! They originally come from Africa and southwest Asia. They were cultivated in these regions thousands of years ago and then spread to other parts of the world, including Spain, through trade and exploration. Spain eventually became one of the key players in the cultivation of melons, particularly known for varieties like the Piel de Sapo.
"Piel de Sapo" translates to "toad skin" in English.
I suppose your wondering if there is even anything funny about melons?
Here's a melons joke:
Q) Why did the melon jump into the lake?
A) It wanted to be a watermelon!
Here's an image of the Ashculm Turbary of Devonshire anyway.