Caricaceae
| Caricaceae | |
|---|---|
| Carica papaya | |
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| Order: | |
| Family: | Caricaceae Dumort., nom. cons.
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See text | |
Caricaceae is a family of flowering plants in the order Brassicales, found in tropical regions of Central and South America and Africa. They are short-lived evergreen pachycaul shrubs or small trees growing to 5–10 m tall; many bear edible fruit.
The family comprises six genera and about 34-35 species:
- Carica – one species Carica papaya (Papaya), Americas
- Cylicomorpha – two species, Africa
- Horovitzia – one species, Mexico
- Jacaratia – eight species, Americas
- Jarilla – three species, Americas
- Vasconcellea – 20-21 species, Americas