Kushmanda (Benincasa hispida (Thunb.) Cogn.) is a trailing or climbing cucurbit cultivated widely across South, East and Southeast Asia for its large, firm fruit used as a vegetable and in traditional medicine. The mature fruit commonly has a waxy coating (hence the name “wax gourd” or “winter melon”). In classical systems it is valued for its cooling, demulcent, diuretic and nutritive properties.