Benincasa

Benincasa hispida

Taxonavigation

Taxonavigation: Cucurbitales
Classification System: APG IV Superregnum: Eukaryota Cladus: Diaphoretickes Cladus: CAM Cladus: Archaeplastida Regnum: Plantae Cladus: Angiosperms Cladus: Eudicots Cladus: Core eudicots Cladus: Rosids Cladus: Eurosids I Ordo: Cucurbitales

Familia: Cucurbitaceae
Tribus: Benincaseae
Genus: Benincasa
Species: B. fistulosa – B. hispida – B. pruriens

Name

• Benincasa Savi, Bibliot. Ital. (Milan) 9: 158. (1818)
• Type species: Benincasa cerifera Savi (1818) = Benincasa hispida (Thunb.) Cogn. Monogr. Phan. 3: 513. (1881)
  

Note: There are taxonomic differences between Govaerts et a. (2026) and Hassler (2026) and Renner & Pandey (2013) summarise the taxonomic opinions. Benincasa hispida must have its own page as WS can not take sides. However, B. hispida seems to be the correct name, as its basionym has priority, because Cucurbita pruriens Parkinson, J. Voy. South Seas 44. (1773) is invalid.

Synonyms

• Heterotypic
  • Camolenga Post & Kuntze, Lex. 95. (1903) nom. illeg.

References

Primary references

• Savi, G. 1818. Biblioteca Italiana Ossia Giornale di Letteratura Scienze ed Arti 9: 158.

Additional references

• 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. DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.20.3948 Reference page. 
• Schaefer, H. & Renner, S.S. 2011. Phylogenetic relationships in the order Cucurbitales and a new classification of the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae). Taxon 60(1): 122–138. DOI: 10.1002/tax.601011 JSTOR PDF. Reference page. 

Links

• Govaerts, R. et al. 2026. Benincasa in Kew Science Plants of the World Online. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published online. Accessed: 2026 Feb. 22. Reference page. 
• Hassler, M. 2026. Benincasa. World Plants: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World In: Roskovh, Y., Abucay, L., Orrell, T., Nicolson, D., Bailly, N., Kirk, P., Bourgoin, T., DeWalt, R.E., Decock, W., De Wever, A., Nieukerken, E. van, Zarucchi, J. & Penev, L., eds. 2026. Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life. Published online. Accessed: 2026 Feb. 22. Reference page. 
• International Plant Names Index. 2026. Benincasa. Published online. Accessed: Feb 26 2026. Reference page.
• Tropicos.org 2026. Benincasa. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published online. Accessed: 26 Feb 2026. Reference page.

Vernacular names

• Deutsch: Wachskürbisse
• English: Winter Melons
• latviešu: Vaskgurķi

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