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Papaya

Botanical Name(s): Carica Papaya
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Violales
Family: Caricaceae
Genus: Carica L.
Species: Carica papaya
Popular Name(s): Paw Paw, Kates, Papaw
Parts Used: Leaves, Fruits, Roots
Habitat: Throughout India

Description
Papaya is a small, unbranched tree, with a single stem growing to 5-10 m tall, with the spirally arranged leaves. The lower trunk is conspicuously scarred with the leaf. The leaves are large, 50-70 cm diameter and deeply palmate lobed, with seven lobes. The fruit of the plant is cultivated by tropical people, as a breakfast fruit. The plant is native to the tropics of the Americas. In Mexico, it was cultivated many centuries before the emergence of the Mesoamerican classic cultures. In India, papaya is cultivated throughout the country and is known for its medicinal properties.

Plant Chemicals
The fruit calories, protein, carbohydrate, fiber, ash, Ca, P, Fe, Na, K, beta-carotene equivalent, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and ascorbic acid. The leaves calories, protein, fat, carbohydrate, fiber, ash, Ca, P, Fe, Na, K, beta-carotene equivalent, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and ascorbic acid, as well vitamin E. Leaves contain the glycoside, carposide, and the alkaloid, carpaine. Fresh leaf latex contains water, caoutchouc-like substances, pectinous matter and salts, malic acid, papain, fat, and resin. The seeds are reported to contain protein, fatty oil, carbohydrate, crude fiber, ash, volatile oil, a glycoside, caricin, and the enzyme, myrosin. The fatty oil of the seeds contains saturated acids (palmitic, stearic, and arachidic) and unsaturated acids (oleic and linoleic).

Uses & Benefits of Papaya
Caution