The closest relatives of papaya are 4 species from Mexico and Guatemala ( Pensoft Publishers ) For decades, researchers thought the closest relatives of papaya were certain trees from the Andes. A study using DNA sequences from all species of the papaya family instead revealed that the closest relatives of papaya are three herbs and a small tree with stinging hairs occurring from Mexico to Guatemala and El Salvador. These plants were so little known that even their ...
Nov. 20, 2013 - EurekAlert!