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[[File:Carica papaya 005.JPG|thumb|right|''Papaya'']]
The '''papaya''' (from Carib via Spanish), papaw, or pawpaw is the plant Carica papaya, one of the 22 accepted species in the genus Carica of the family Caricaceae.<ref name="int"/>
== Description ==
The 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. 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.
== Uses ==
In some parts of Asia, the young leaves of the papaya are steamed and eaten like spinach.
== References ==
<references>
<ref name="int">[http://www.theplantlist.org/ "Carica"]</ref>
</references>
== External Links ==
*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papaya Papaya-Wikipedia]
[[Category:Herbs]]
