Winter melon (scientific name: Benincasa pruriens), also known as donggua, white melon, yellow cucumber, white winter melon skin, white winter melon, white melon skin, white melon seeds, and ground sesame, belongs to the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae) and is the only species in the genus Benincasa. It is an annual climbing herbaceous plant. Winter melon is native to South Asia and Southeast Asia, and it has since spread to southern China and other regions of Asia. It is now widely cultivated in East Asia and South Asia.