[[File:Carica papaya 005.JPG|thumb|right|''Papaya'']]
'''Papaya''' is a large tree-like plant, with a single stem growing from 5 to 10 m (16 to 33 ft) tall, with spirally arranged leaves confined to the top of the trunk.
==Uses==
{{Uses|Digestive disorders}}, {{Uses|Healing wounds}}, {{Uses|Diabetes}}, {{Uses|Hypertension}}, {{Uses|High blood pressure}}, {{Uses|Malaria}}, {{Uses|Ulcer}}, {{Uses|Boils}}, {{Uses|Wounds}}
The papaya is a large==Parts Used=={{Parts Used|Fruits}}, tree-like plant{{Parts Used|Leaves}}, with a single stem growing from 5 to 10 m (16 to 33 ft) tall{{Parts Used|Seeds}}, with spirally arranged leaves confined to the top of the trunk. The lower trunk is conspicuously scarred where leaves and fruit were borne. The leaves are large, 50–70 cm (20–28 in) in diameter, deeply palmately lobed, with seven lobes. Unusually for such large plants, the trees are dioecious. The tree is usually unbranched, unless lopped. The flowers are similar in shape to the flowers of the Plumeria, but are much smaller and wax-like. They appear on the axils of the leaves, maturing into large fruit - 15–45 cm (5.9–17.7 in) long and 10–30 cm (3.9–11.8 in) in diameter. The fruit is a type of berry. It is ripe when it feels soft (as soft as a ripe avocado or a bit softer) and its skin has attained an amber to orange hue{{Parts Used|Flowers}}.
==Chemical Composition==
The green fruit is reported to contain 26 calories, 92.1 g H2O, 1.0 g protein, 0.1 g fat, 6.2 g total carbohydrate, 0.9 g fiber, 0.6 g ash, 38 mg Ca, 20 mg P, 0.3 mg Fe, 7 mg Na, 215 mg K, 15 ug beta-carotene equivalent. Latex contain enzymes—papain and chymopapain and alkaloids carpaine and pseudocarpaine<ref name="chemical composition"/>
== Uses Common names=={{Common names|kn=Pappaya hannu|sa=Erand karkati|ta=Pappali|hi=Papita|en=Pawpaw, Papaya}}
The ripe fruit of the papaya is usually eaten raw==Properties==Reference: Dravya - Substance, without skin or seeds. The unripe green fruit can be eaten cookedRasa - Taste, usually in curriesGuna - Qualities, saladsVeerya - Potency, and stews. Green papaya is used in Southeast Asian cookingVipaka - Post-digesion effect, both raw and cooked. In Thai cuisineKarma - Pharmacological activity, papaya is used to make Thai salads such as som tam and Thai curries such as kaeng som when still not fully ripe. In Indonesian cuisine, the unripe green fruits and young leaves are boiled for use as part of lalab salad, while the flower buds are sautéed and stirPrabhava -fried with chillies and green tomatoes as Minahasan papaya flower vegetable dish. Papayas have a relatively high amount of pectin, which can be used to make jellies. The smell of ripe, fresh papaya flesh can strike some people as unpleasant. In Brazil, the unripe fruits are often used to make sweets or preservesTherepeutics.===Dravya===
The black seeds of the papaya are edible and have a sharp===Rasa===Katu, spicy taste. They are sometimes ground and used as a substitute for black pepper.Tikta===Guna===Laghu, Ruksa, Tikshna ===Veerya===Ushna===Vipaka===
In some parts ===Karma===Kaphavatahara, Hridya===Prabhava=== ==Habit=={{Habit|Herb}} ==Identification=====Leaf==={{Leaf|Simple|2 ½ ft wide|Stems appear as a trunk, are hollow, light green to tan brown, up to 8″ in diameter, and bear prominent leaf scars.}}<ref name="Leaf"/> ===Flower==={{Flower|Bisexual|2-6cm long|White|5-10|Flowers are solitary or small cymes of Asia, 3 individuals}} ===Fruit==={{Fruit|Oval|Fruits weigh from 0.5 up to 20 lbs|Fruit are borne axillary on the main stem|Usually singly but sometimes in small clusters|Many}} ===Other features=== ==List of Ayurvedic medicine in which the herb is used== ==Where to get the young leaves saplings====Mode of Propagation=={{Propagation|Seeds}}, {{Propagation|Cuttings}}. ==How to plant/cultivate==Seeds germinate readily. Papaya succeeds in tropical and subtropical areas, where it can be found between 32°N and S. It produces best at elevations below 900 metres, though it can also succeed as high as 2,100 metres near the equator<ref name="How to plant/cultivate"/> ==Commonly seen growing in areas=={{Commonly seen|Lower rainfall}}, {{Commonly seen|Island}}, {{Commonly seen|Cooler temperature}}. ==Photo Gallery==<gallery class="left" caption="" widths="140px" heights="140px">Image:Papaya Tree by Piyal Kundu.JPGImage:Carica papaya are steamed and eaten like spinachfrutos verdes.jpegImage:Carica papaya frutos y follaje.jpegImage:Lechosa.jpgImage:Carica papaya MS4113.JPGFile:Carica papaya 14 7 2012.jpgImage:Carica papaya - papaya - var-tropical dwarf papaya - desc-fruit.jpgImage:Carica papaya dsc07806.jpgImage:Papaya slice.jpg|Papaya sliceImage:Papaya.jpgImage:California_Papaya_ID.jpg|Sweet California papaya, IndonesiaImage:Papaya-oliv.jpgFile:Carica papaya (11032993213).jpg|FlowerFile:Carica papaya1.jpg|Male flowers</gallery> ==References== <references> <ref name="chemical composition">[http://gbpihedenvis.nic.in/PDFs/Glossary_Medicinal_Plants_Springer.pdf Chemistry]</ref> <ref name="Leaf">[http://www.fruit-crops.com/papaya-carica-papaya/ Botonical description]</ref> <ref name="How to plant/cultivate">[http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Carica+papaya Cultivation details]</ref></references> ==External Links==* [http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=d374 Papaya on missori botonical garden]* [http://eol.org/pages/585682/details Papaya on encyclopedea of life]* [http://www.extento.hawaii.edu/kbase/crop/crops/i_papa.htm General crop information]* [http://www.worldagroforestry.org/treedb/AFTPDFS/Carica_papaya.PDF Papaya description pdf]
[[Category:Herbs]]
[[Category:Caricaceae]]
