Vasconcellea monoica
(Desf.) A.DC.
Caricaceae
Carica boliviana Rusby
Carica citriformis Hook.f.
Carica erythrocarpa Linden & André
Carica monoica Desf.
Papaya erythrocarpa (Linden & André) Kuntze
Papaya monoica (Desf.) Poir.
Vasconcellea hookeri A.DC.
Common Name: Peladera
Ripening fruits on a plant in the Botanical Garden Berlin-Dahlem, Germany.
Photograph by: Steffen Zahn
General Information
Peladera is a shrub growing 1 - 4 metres tall.
The fruit is well liked within the plants native range[
196- Title
- Lost Crops of the Incas
- Publication
-
- Author
- Popenoe. H. et al
- Publisher
- National Academy Press
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-309-04264-X
- Description
- An excellent book. Very readable, with lots of information and good pictures of some lesser known food plants of S. America.
]. It is sometimes harvested from the wild, and the tree is also sometimes semi-cultivated or cultivated. The fruit is sold in local markets[
196- Title
- Lost Crops of the Incas
- Publication
-
- Author
- Popenoe. H. et al
- Publisher
- National Academy Press
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-309-04264-X
- Description
- An excellent book. Very readable, with lots of information and good pictures of some lesser known food plants of S. America.
,
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
Range
S. America - Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador.
Habitat
Humid montane belt to the lower montane or sub-Andean belt in areas of humid seasonal forests; sub-humid semi-deciduous lower montane forests; secondary woodland savannahs of the inferior sub-Andean Amazon in zones with a humid seasonal climate[
].
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Habit | Shrub |
| Height | 3.00 m |
| Growth Rate | Fast |
| Self-fertile | Yes |
| Cultivation Status | Cultivated, Semi-cultivated, Wild |
Cultivation Details
A plant of the moist tropics, where it is found at elevations from about 500 - 2,000 metres[
]. It grows best in areas with high rainfall and mild temperatures[
196- Title
- Lost Crops of the Incas
- Publication
-
- Author
- Popenoe. H. et al
- Publisher
- National Academy Press
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-309-04264-X
- Description
- An excellent book. Very readable, with lots of information and good pictures of some lesser known food plants of S. America.
].
Although small, the plant grows vigorously and commences fruiting when young[
196- Title
- Lost Crops of the Incas
- Publication
-
- Author
- Popenoe. H. et al
- Publisher
- National Academy Press
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-309-04264-X
- Description
- An excellent book. Very readable, with lots of information and good pictures of some lesser known food plants of S. America.
].
The plant is self-fertile, producing fruits even when one plant is grown on its own[
196- Title
- Lost Crops of the Incas
- Publication
-
- Author
- Popenoe. H. et al
- Publisher
- National Academy Press
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-309-04264-X
- Description
- An excellent book. Very readable, with lots of information and good pictures of some lesser known food plants of S. America.
].
The plant hybridizes easily with V. Pubescens, often yielding hybrids that bear fruit of a good flavour[
196- Title
- Lost Crops of the Incas
- Publication
-
- Author
- Popenoe. H. et al
- Publisher
- National Academy Press
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-309-04264-X
- Description
- An excellent book. Very readable, with lots of information and good pictures of some lesser known food plants of S. America.
]. The plant is used in hybridization programmes with other members of the genus[
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.
].
Edible Uses
Fruit. Insipid, when eaten raw they are usually combined with other fruits[
196- Title
- Lost Crops of the Incas
- Publication
-
- Author
- Popenoe. H. et al
- Publisher
- National Academy Press
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-309-04264-X
- Description
- An excellent book. Very readable, with lots of information and good pictures of some lesser known food plants of S. America.
,
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.
]. Generally eaten cooked with lemon and sugar, when they are said to resemble stewed apricots[
196- Title
- Lost Crops of the Incas
- Publication
-
- Author
- Popenoe. H. et al
- Publisher
- National Academy Press
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-309-04264-X
- Description
- An excellent book. Very readable, with lots of information and good pictures of some lesser known food plants of S. America.
,
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 flesh is somewhat tough - it is excellent for dried or candied fruit and also freezes well[
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 small to very small fruits have a high level of papain[
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 fruits can be up to 6cm in diameter[
].
Young seedlings and mature leaves - cooked[
196- Title
- Lost Crops of the Incas
- Publication
-
- Author
- Popenoe. H. et al
- Publisher
- National Academy Press
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-309-04264-X
- Description
- An excellent book. Very readable, with lots of information and good pictures of some lesser known food plants of S. America.
,
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.
]. Used like cabbage[
196- Title
- Lost Crops of the Incas
- Publication
-
- Author
- Popenoe. H. et al
- Publisher
- National Academy Press
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-309-04264-X
- Description
- An excellent book. Very readable, with lots of information and good pictures of some lesser known food plants of S. America.
,
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.
].
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.
