Am.  Jour.  Ptaarm. 
June,  1901. 
Story  of  the  Pap  aw. 
277 
repeated.  Of  the  many  species  the  following  are  edible :  Carica 
cauliflora,  C  pyriformis,  C  microcarpa,  C.  integrifolia,  C  Papaya  and 
C  quercifoha. 
The  Carica  digil lata  is  credited  with  poisonous  emanations,  and  its 
juice  is  actively  poisonous,  causing  pustulation  when  applied  to  the 
flesh. 
The  Carica  Papaya  is  designated  by  different  names  in  the 
various  localities  where  found.  For  instance,  in  Mexico,  "  lechoso," 
in  Brazil,  "  papai,"  "maneo"  and  "  mamerio  ";  in  Paraguay, 
"mamon."4 
Here,  too,  the  term  "jacarata"  (chakarateca)  is  applied  to  the 
Carica  Papaya,  as  well  as  to  several  trees  of  the  same  natural 
order.  In  Yucatan  the  native  uncultivated  variety  is  designated  as 
"  chich  put,"  or  little  papaya,  while  the  cultivated  is  simply  "  put." 
The  Spaniards  designated  the  original  species  as  "  papaya  los 
pajaros  "  or  "  bird  papaya."  The  term  "  papaw,"  though  sometimes 
applied  to  several  species,  almost  universally  means  the  Carica 
Papaya. 
Among  the  names  by  which  botanists  have  designated  this  plant 
are  the  following  :  Papaya  fructu  melopeponis,  Tuournefort  ;  Papaya 
Carica,  Gaertn  ;  P.  lyatira,  Tuss;  P.  vulgaris,  A.  D.  C;  P.  Orien- 
tates Col. ;  Carica  Papaya,  L.;  C.  Maniaya,  Veil. 
The  Carica  Papaya  may,  in  brief,  be  described  as  follows : 
A  single,  supple,  slim,  straight  stalk,  terminating  in  a  group  of 
large  leaves  which  are  arranged  in  the  form  of  an  umbrella,  branch- 
ing only  when  its  growth  is  interfered  with.  Cultivated  plants 
attain  a  height  of  from  10  to  30  feet ;  wild  varieties  push  up  to  60 
or  even  to  100  feet.  Near  the  base  of  mature  trees  the  diameter 
ranges  from  6  inches  to  I  foot.  In  a  young  plant  the  stalks  consist 
of  a  cellular  pith  filled  with  water ;  in  a  mature  tree  that  portion  of 
the  trunk  immediately  under  the  bark  is  fibrous  for  a  few  inches, 
followed  by  a  soft  inner  layer  of  an  inch  or  more,  terminating  in  the 
central  portion,  which  is  hollow.  At  intervals  through  the  hollow 
centre  are  seen  membranous  tissues  dividing  the  cavities  into  sec- 
tions, and  in  the  rainy  season,  for  a  considerable  height  up  the 
trunk,  this  central  cavity  is  filled  with  water.    The  wood  of  the 
4  In  Brazil  the  uncultivated  plant  is  designated  as  "mameo-femeo"  ;  the 
cultivated  form  of  the  same  as  "  mameo-meleo  ;"  the  hermaphrodite  plant 
"  meneco-macho." — (Rusby.) 
