The bitter melon (Chinese: 苦瓜; Hanyu Pinyin: kǔguā), also called bitter gourd, karela (from Hindi), hAgala kAyi (from Kannada), pavakka (from Tamil), pare or parai (from Malay and Indonesian), ampalaya (from Filipino), balsampear, or balsamapple, is the edible fruit of the tropical and subtropical plant Momordica charantia, named for its bitter taste. Bitter melon is actually a member of the squash family and resembles a cucumber with bumpy skin. When first picked, a bitter melon is yellow-green, but as it ripens, it turns to a yellow-orange color. It is considered one of the most bitter among all edible vegetables. The young shoots and leaves of the plant may be eaten as greens, and are not particularly bitter.