Caricaceae

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Caricaceae
Carica papaya
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Brassicales
Family: Caricaceae
Dumort.
Genera

See text

The Caricaceae are a family of flowering plants in the order Brassicales,[1] found primarily in tropical regions of Central and South America and Africa. They are short-lived evergreen pachycaul shrubs or small trees growing to 5–10 m tall. One species, Vasconcellea horoviziana is a liana and three species of the genus Jarilla are herbs.[2] Many species bear edible fruit and are source of papain .

Based on molecular analyses, this family has been proposed to have originated in Africa in the early Cenozoic era, ~66 million years ago (mya). The dispersal from Africa to Central America occurred ~35 mya, possibly via ocean currents from the Congo delta. From Central America, the family reached South America 19-27 mya.[3]

The family comprises six genera and about 34-35 species:

References

  1. ↑ "An update of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group classification for the orders and families of flowering plants: APG III.". Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 161 (2): 105–121. 2009. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8339.2009.00996.x. 
  2. ↑ "Correct names for some of the closest relatives of Carica papaya: A review of the Mexican/Guatemalan genera Jarilla and Horovitzia". Phytokeys. 2013. 
  3. ↑ "A dated phylogeny of the papaya family (Caricaceae) reveals the crop’s closest relatives and the family’s biogeographic history". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 2012. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2012.05.019. 


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