Vasconcellea parviflora
A.DC.
Caricaceae
Carica leptantha Harms
Carica paniculata Spruce
Carica parviflora (A.DC.) Solms
Papaya paniculata (Spruce) Kuntze
Papaya parviflora (A.DC.) Kuntze
Common Name:
General Information
Vasconcellea parviflora is a deciduous shrub growing 50 - 200cm tall[
434- Title
- Flora of Peru
- Publication
-
- Author
- Macbride. J.F.
- Publisher
- Field Museum of Natural History
- Year
- 1936
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent attempt at a Flora of Peru, though it is clear that many of the plants were imperfectly known at that time and so information on them was sketchy. Available for download from the Internet.
].
The edible fruit is harvested from the wild for local use.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
Range
S. America - Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador.
Habitat
Dry to very dry environments on the Pacific slopes of the Andes at elevations from sea level to 1,800 metres.
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Habit | Deciduous Shrub |
| Height | 1.50 m |
| Self-fertile | No |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
A plant of the tropics, where it is found at elevations from sea level to over 2,000 metres.
Prefers a sunny position in a well-drained soil[
385- Title
- Bihrmann's Caudiciforms
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.bihrmann.com/caudiciforms/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An internet site giving information on caudiciform plants (plants with swollen stem bases such as the Baobab tree, cycads and many succulents). Excellent photos, usually of cultivated plants in pots.
].
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required.
Edible Uses
Fruit - raw[
301- Title
- Cornucopia II
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications, California.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-2-5
- Description
- The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
]. Said to have the fragrance and flavour of a mombin (Spondias spp.)[
301- Title
- Cornucopia II
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications, California.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-2-5
- Description
- The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
]. The fruit is the size of a small melon with a taste somewhat similar, but to improve it longitudinal incisions must be made in it some days before eating so that the milky sap, which is somewhat bitter, may drain away[
434- Title
- Flora of Peru
- Publication
-
- Author
- Macbride. J.F.
- Publisher
- Field Museum of Natural History
- Year
- 1936
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent attempt at a Flora of Peru, though it is clear that many of the plants were imperfectly known at that time and so information on them was sketchy. Available for download from the Internet.
]. The orange fruit is about 20 - 30mm long and 10 - 15mm wide.
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed - sow in individual containers or in a nursery seedbed in light shade. Germination can be slow and difficult, taking about 30 days[
670- Title
- Study of the Cultivation Potential of Native Fruit Species in Loja Province, Ecuador
- Publication
-
- Author
- Scheldeman X.
- Website
- http://www.tropicallab.ugent.be/start.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A partial study, published on the Internet, of the family Caricaceae, with some very good photographs. Also, some notes on the Cherimoya.
]. Seedlings can be planted out when 4 - 6 months old[
670- Title
- Study of the Cultivation Potential of Native Fruit Species in Loja Province, Ecuador
- Publication
-
- Author
- Scheldeman X.
- Website
- http://www.tropicallab.ugent.be/start.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A partial study, published on the Internet, of the family Caricaceae, with some very good photographs. Also, some notes on the Cherimoya.
].
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
