Mountain papaya (Vasconcellea pubescens)

Carica or Dieng papaya or diamond papaya or mountain papaya or mountain pawpaw or Carica pubescens or Carica candamarcensis or Vasconcellea cundinamarcensis (Vasconcellea pubescens) is a species of papaya in Caricaceae and grows in wet areas at 1,500-3,000 m above sea level.

V. pubescens is also called a dwarf papaya tree in the form of a non-woody shrub, but has more branches, the size of all plant parts is smaller and the average height is 1-2 meters. The stems are dark green but with thin brown skin.

Single leaves are large size, rough, dark green and wavy sides facing outward with long stems growing circularly along the stem. Male flowers have stems that are up to 15 cm long, while female flowers are larger in size with short and hard stems.

The fruit is ovoid for 6-15 cm long and 3-8 cm in diameter. Young fruits are dark green and contain sap papain which is proteolytic. The ripe fruit becomes hard, yellow-orange or brown, has a sour but fragrant taste and around the cavity appear seeds wrapped in sarkotesta which are white and runny.

Mountain papaya is a source of calcium, sugar, vitamins A and C. Fruit contains a lot of essential oils and derivatives of fatty acids, most of which are 3-hydroxyester compounds which are also found in several other tropical plants including pineapple, mango, gooseberry, tamarillo, and sapodilla.

Mountain pawpaw is more resistant to cold air and viruses that commonly attack other papaya. Trees have ages up to 20 years and harvest after 1.5-2 years. Generally, every tree produces 4-8 kg of fruit every year.

This fruit is processed as syrup, juice, sweets, jam, canned drinks or cooked as vegetables. It can also be processed into lunkhead, pudding and chips. Besides this fruit is also used as a curry mixture.

Carica is suitable for consumption by people who have a weak stomach because it has properties to improve digestion. Young fruits are usually dried and made into powder for the manufacture of skin or cosmetic medicine. Leaves are used as ingredients for various food and pharmaceutical industries.

Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Brassicales
Family: Caricaceae
Genus: Vasconcellea
Species: V. pubescens

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