Family: Caricaceae
English name: papaya
Chuukese name: kipwau
Kosraen name: es
Pohnpeian name: memiap
Yapese name: papay
Collection location and date: 05 December 1998
Vegetative description: Papaya is a woody, large herb grow up to 10-12 feet in height. It can branch out only when injured.
Leaves: The leaves emerge directly from the upper part of the stem in apiral on nearly horizontal petioles 1 to 3.5 feet long. The blade,deeply divided into 5 to 9 main segments, varies from 1 to 2 feet in width, and has yellow ribs and veins. Fruits: The fruits can weigh up to 10 pounds and the flesh may be yellow, orange or pink when ripe. A ripen fruit is juicy and sweet.
Floral Description: The five-petal flowers are fleshy, waxy and fragrant. Some papaya bear only short stalked female flower or bisexual flowers, while others may bear only male flowers, clustered on panicles 5-6 feet long. Some papaya may have both male and female flowers. The flower of papaya are usually white and small. Pollination of papaya are done by wind and sometimes by hand when necessary to get a proper fruit.
Uses: food, medicine,drinks,decoration, artificial uses like mixing to make shampoo, blackmagic
Collected by: SS
Botany home page
Lee Ling home
COM-FSM home page