Hematochezia vs melena: Comparing symptoms, causes, and treatment Melena an overview ScienceDirect Topics There are no 50 shades of melena, only one color: Black; and it's a color that smells bad. Otherwise it's not melena or it's derivatives (melenic, melanotic, melenatonic ) Great thread w a Stool Colors and What They Can Tell You Your stool color can carry important clues about digestion, diet, or even disease. Most shades are harmless, but some changes signal the need for