| Vasconcellea | |
|---|---|
| Vasconcellea monoica with immature fruit | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Brassicales |
| Family: | Caricaceae |
| Genus: | Vasconcellea A.St.-Hil. |
| Species | |
|
See text |
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Vasconcellea is a genus 20 or 21 species of flowering plants in the family Caricaceae. Most were formerly treated in the genus Carica, but have been split out on genetic evidence. The genus name has also been spelled "Vasconcella".
They are short-lived evergreen pachycaul shrubs or small trees growing to 5 m tall, native to tropical South America. Many have edible fruit similar to papaya, and are widely cultivated in South America.