Melão (Cucumis Melo)

It is mainly on the island of Porto Santo that this Cucurbitaceae is frequently seen. At the time when Manuel Tomás wrote the 'Insulana', it seems that there was an abundance of melons in Madeira, as we find them mentioned among the many fruits that the island produced at that time. It is believed that the name of the Ribeira dos Melões derives from there having been a great abundance of melon plants on its banks or in its vicinity.