Papaya (Carica papaya)

A woody member of the Passifloraceae from South America, with a usually unbranched trunk and very large leaves, divided into 7 to 9 more or less deeply cut segments. Its fruits are sometimes sessile, sometimes on long stalks; the latter are found on the individuals that produce the male flowers, which in Madeira always or almost always bear a certain number of flowers provided with pistils. The fruit of the papaya is eaten raw or cooked, but its flavour is not very pleasant. When cut, the trunk yields a juice which, mixed with water, has the property of making tough meat tender within a few minutes. The same result can be obtained by wrapping the meat in the leaves of the tree.