Wax gourd (Benincasa hispida)

Wax gourd (Benincasa hispida) is a plant species in the Cucurbitaceae family. It is a herbaceous vine with thick, rough, and hairy stems. The plant is monoecious, bearing yellow flowers; its petioles, leaf blades, sepals, and young fruits are all covered in fine hairs. Male flowers appear singly or in clusters on slender stalks and are situated quite close to the female flowers.

B. hispida has broad, rough leaves measuring 10–30 cm in length. The flowers are yellow; the male flowers emerge singly or in clusters on slender stalks, positioned near the female flowers.

The fruit is oblong, 50–60 cm long, 10–25 cm wide, with an equatorial diameter of 53–80 cm, and typically weighs 5–14 kg (though specimens weighing up to 34.5 kg have been recorded). When young, the fruit is green and covered in fine hairs, which eventually fall off; the surface then develops a waxy coating that allows the fruit to remain preserved for up to a year. The flesh is thick, sweet, crisp, and juicy. The seeds are white or yellow.

This species grows optimally at elevations between 0 and 500 meters. Its flavor is similar to that of pumpkin or zucchini. Like other types of winter squash, the fruit can be stored for months. It is used in various soups, stews, and stir-fries, and serves as an ingredient for candied treats, pastry fillings, and fruit-based beverages. The shoots, tendrils, and leaves are also consumed as vegetables. The fruit is dried and used as a container for storing coconut oil.

Nutritional content per 100g includes: 96.5g water, 10 kcal of energy, 0.4g protein, 0.1g fat, 1.9g carbohydrates, 0.8g fiber, 0.3g ash, 0μg beta-carotene, 13mg vitamin C, 0.06mg thiamin, 0.01mg riboflavin, 0.4mg niacin, 5mg folate, 30mg calcium, 0.8mg iron, 20mg phosphorus, 0.6mg zinc, 10mg magnesium, 6mg potassium, 111mg sodium, 0.058mg manganese, and 0.035mg vitamin B6. The fruit contains key constituents including triterpenoids, flavonoids, glycosides, saccharides, and uronic acids.

TAXON

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Cucurbitales
Family: Cucurbitaceae
Tribe: Benincaseae
Genus: Benincasa Savi in Biblioth. Ital. (Turin) 9: 158 (1818)
Species: Benincasa hispida (Thunb.) Cogn. in A.L.P.P.de Candolle & A.C.P.de Candolle, Monogr. Phan. 3: 513 (1881)

HOMOTYPIC SYNONYMS

Benincasa pruriens f. hispida (Thunb.) W.J.de Wilde & Duyfjes in Sandakania 17: 47 (2008)
Cucurbita hispida Thunb. in J.A.Murray (ed.), Syst. Veg., ed. 14.: 868 (1784)
Lagenaria leucantha var. hispida (Thunb.) Nakai in J. Jap. Bot. 18: 24 (1942)
Lagenaria siceraria var. hispida (Thunb.) H.Hara in Bot. Mag. (Tokyo) 61: 5 (1948)
Lagenaria vulgaris var. hispida (Thunb.) Nakai in Index Seminum (TI, Tokyo) 1932: 38 (1932)

HETEROTYPIC SYNONYMS

Benincasa cerifera Savi in Bibliot. Ital. (Milan) 9: 158 (1818)
Benincasa cerifera f. emarginata K.Kimura & H.Sugiy. in J. Jap. Bot. 36: 70 (1961)
Benincasa cylindrica Ser. in A.P.de Candolle, Prodr. 3: 303 (1828)
Benincasa hispida var. chieh-qua F.C.How in Acta Phytotax. Sin. 3: 76 (1954)
Benincasa pruriens (Parkinson) W.J.de Wilde & Duyfjes in Reinwardtia 12: 268 (2008)
Benincasa sinensis Jacques in Ann. Fl. Pomone, sér. 2, 1: 193 (1843)
Benincasa vacua (F.Muell.) F.Muell. in Syst. Census Austral. Pl. 1: 76 (1882)
Cucurbita alba Roxb. ex Wight & Arn. in Prodr. Fl. Ind. Orient. 1: 344 (1834)
Cucurbita cerifera Fisch. ex Savi in Bibliot. Ital. (Milan) 9: 158 (1818)
Cucurbita farinosa Blume in Bijdr. Fl. Ned. Ind.: 931 (1826)
Cucurbita littoralis Hassk. in Cat. Hort. Bot. Bogor. Alt.: 190 (1844)
Cucurbita pruriens Seem. in J. Bot. 2: 50 (1864)
Cucurbita pruriens Parkinson in J. Voy. South Seas: 44 (1773)
Cucurbita vacua F.Muell. in Fragm. 6: 186 (1868)
Cucurbita villosa Blume in Bijdr. Fl. Ned. Ind.: 931 (1826)
Gymnopetalum septemlobum Miq. in Fl. Ned. Ind. 1(1): 679 (1856)
Lagenaria dasystemon Miq. in Ann. Mus. Bot. Lugduno-Batavi 2: 81 (1865)
Lagenaria leucantha var. clavata Makino in Ill. Fl. Nippon: 89 (1940)
Pepo farinosus (Blume) Peterm. in Pflanzenreich: 438 (1845)
Pepo villosus (Blume) Peterm. in Pflanzenreich: 438 (1845)

PUBLICATIONS

(1982). Flora of Australia 8: 1-420. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.

Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & Strong, M.T. (2012). Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contributions to Botany 98: 1-1192.

Baksh-Comeau, Y., Maharaj, S.S., Adams, C.D., Harris, S.A., Filer, D.L. & Hawthorne, W.D. (2016). An annotated checklist of the vascular plants of Trinidad and Tobago with analysis of vegetation types and botanical 'hotspots'. Phytotaxa 250: 1-431.

Barooah, C. & Ahmed, I. (2014). Plant diversity of Assam. A checklist of Angiosperms and Gymnosperms: 1-599. Assam science technology and environment council, India.

Chang, C.S., Kim, H. & Chang, K.S. (2014). Provisional checklist of vascular plants for the Korea peninsula flora (KPF): 1-660. DESIGNPOST.

Davidse, G. & al. (eds.) (2009). Flora Mesoamericana 4(1): 1-855. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, D.F.

Fosberg, F.R., Sachet, M.-H., Oliver, R. (1979). A geographical checklist of the Micronesian Dicotyledonae. Micronesica; Journal of the College of Guam 15: 41-295.

Govaerts, R. (1996). World Checklist of Seed Plants 2(1, 2): 1-492. MIM, Deurne.

Hokche, O., Berry, P.E. & Huber, O. (eds.) (2008). Nuevo Catálogo de la Flora Vascular de Venezuela: 1-859. Fundación Instituto Botánico de Venezuela.

Kotiya, A., Solanki, Y. & Reddy, G.V. (2020). Flora of Rajasthan: 1-769. Rajasthan state biodiversity board.

Kress, W.J., DeFilipps, R.A., Farr, E. & Kyi, D.Y.Y. (2003). A Checklist of the Trees, Shrubs, Herbs and Climbers of Myanmar. Contributions from the United States National Herbarium 45: 1-590. Smithsonian Institution.

Lorence, D.H. & Wagnwe, W.L. (2020). Flora of the Marquesas Islands 2: 413-1135. National Tropical Botanic Garden, Smithsonian, DRPF.

Lê, T.C. (2003). Danh lục các loài thực vật Việt Nam 2: 1-1203. Hà Nội : Nhà xuất bản Nông nghiệp.

Maliya, S.D. & Datt, B. (2010). A contribution to the flora of Katarniyaghat wildlife sanctuary, Baharaich district, Uttar Pradesh. Journal of Economic and Taxonomic Botany 34: 42-68.

Mao, A.A. & Dash, S.S. (2020). Flowering Plants of India an Annotated Checklist (Dicotyledons) 1: 1-970. Botanical Survey of India.

Nazimuddin, S. & Naqvi, S.S.H. (1984). Flora of Pakistan 154: 1-56. Department of Botany, University of Karachi, Karachi.

Newman, M., Ketphanh, S., Svengsuksa, B., Thomas, P., Sengdala, K., Lamxay, V. & Armstrong, K. (2007). A checklist of the vascular plants of Lao PDR: 1-394. Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh.

Nurtjahya, E. & al. (2026). Flowering Plants of Bangka Island: Native and Introduced. Acta Botanica Hungarica 68: 127-156.

Renner, S.S. & Pandey, A.K. (2013). The Cucurbitaceae of India: Accepted names, synonyms, geographic distribution, and information on images and DNA sequences. PhytoKeys 20: 53-118.

Sykes, W.R. (2016). Flora of the Cook Islands: 1-973. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Hawaii.

Whistler, W.A. (2022). Flora of Samoa Flowering Plants: 1-930. National Tropical Botanicl Garden. Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.

Wu, Z. & Raven, P.H. (eds.) (2011). Flora of China 19: 1-884. Science Press (Beijing) & Missouri Botanical Garden Press (St. Louis).

de Wilde, W.J.J.O. & Duyfjes, B.E.E. (2008). Flora of Thailand 9(4): 411-546. The Forest Herbarium, Royal Forest Department.

VERNACULAR NAME

Aceh: Kundur, Kundo
Assamese: Komora
Bengali: কুমড়া - চালকুমড়া Kumra, Chalkumra
Bunun: Tangkui
Chinese (simplified): 冬瓜
Chinese (traditional): 冬瓜
Czech: Beninkasa voskonosná
Danish: Voksgræskar
Dutch: Waspompoen
English: Wax gourd, Ash gourd, White gourd, Winter gourd, Winter melon, Tallow gourd, Ash pumpkin, Dongah Chinese preserving melon
Filipino: Kondol, Tibiayon, Rodal
Finnish: Vahakurpitsa
French: Courge à la cire, Courge cireuse
Hindi: पेठा - पेथाकड्डु Petha, Pethakaddu
Indonesia: Beligo, Baligo, Bligo, Blonceng
Japanese: トウガン
Kannada: Budekumbalakayi, Boodu gumbala
Khmer: ត្រាឡាច Trâllaach
Korean: 동아
Laos: ຕົ້ນ Tônx
Malayalam: Kumbalanga
Malaysia: Kundor
Manipuri: Torobot
Marathi: Kohla
Melayu: Kundur
Mizo: Mai-pawl
Nepali: कुभिन्डो Kubindo
Russian: Бенинказа щетинисто-волосистая
Sanskrit: Brihatphala, Ghrinavasa, Gramyakarkati, Karkaru
Slovak: Beninkáza vosková
Spanish: Calabacita china
Tamil: நீர் பூசணிக்காய் Neer poosanikai
Tangkhul: Katsenghei
Telugu: Boodida gummadikaaya
Thai: ฟักเขียว
Tulu: ಕರ್ಕುಂಬುಡ
Turkish: Akhaylin

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