The genus Carica, to which the papaw or papaya C. papaya L. belongs, contains some twenty-two species, all of which are found in the warmer parts of America. Originally it was included by botanists in the families Passifloracere and Cucurbitacere, but it was transferred by the German botanist, H. Grafzu Solms, to the family Caricacere; he found the family name on that of the generic name Carica. Besides Carica the family contains the genera Jaracatia found in America, and Cylicomorpha in Africa.
