Two other papaya species can be found in
markets. The large cool-climate mountain
papaya, C. pubescens, is less sweet than the
lowland papaya, but richer in papain and in
carotenoid pigments, often including
lycopene, which gives its flesh a reddish
tinge. The babaco, C. pentagona, is apparently
a natural hybrid, and has cream-colored, tart,
seedless flesh.
Passion Fruit, Granadilla Passion fruits and
the granadilla come from about a dozen
species of vines of the genera Passi-flora and
Tacsonia, natives of tropical lowlands and
subtropical highlands in South America. They
consist of a brittle (Passi-flora) or soft
(Tacsonia) outer husk, with a mass of hard
seeds embedded in pulpy seed coverings, or
arils. The arils are the only edible portion, and
make up barely a third of the fruit weight.
Though the pulp is sparse, its flavor is
concentrated and actually benefits from