Which vegetable, a gourd-like squash, derives its name from the Greek for 'large melon'?
Wax gourd Wax gourd Benincasa hispida, the wax gourd, also called ash gourd, white gourd, winter gourd, tallow gourd, ash pumpkin, and winter melon and “Chinese preserving melon” is a vine grown for its very large fruit, eaten as a vegetable when mature. It is the only member of the genus Benincasa. The fruit is fuzzy when young. The immature melon has thick white flesh that is sweet when eaten. By maturity, the fruit loses its hairs and develops a waxy coating, giving rise to the name "wax gourd", and providing a long shelf life. The melon may grow as large as
Wax gourd 80 cm in length. It has yellow flowers and broad leaves. The taste is rather bland. It is native to South Asia and Southeast Asia. The wax gourd is widely grown throughout Asia, including Java and Japan, the places where it is thought to have originated. The name “winter melon” that is sometimes given to this plant is based on the Chinese name (), however, the character () can also mean “gourd” or “squash”. It is likely that the name “melon” is given because this gourd is sometimes candied or made into a sweet tea; see the Uses section below.