落(luo)葉(xie)灌木,高達2米(mi),枝(zhi)條直(zhi)立開展(zhan),有(you)(you)(you)刺;小枝(zhi)圓(yuan)柱(zhu)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing),微(wei)屈(qu)曲,無毛(mao)(mao),紫(zi)褐色(se)(se)或(huo)黑(hei)褐色(se)(se),有(you)(you)(you)疏(shu)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)淺褐色(se)(se)皮孔;冬(dong)芽三角(jiao)卵(luan)(luan)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing),先(xian)端急(ji)尖(jian),近(jin)于無毛(mao)(mao)或(huo)在(zai)鱗片(pian)(pian)邊緣(yuan)具短(duan)(duan)柔毛(mao)(mao),紫(zi)褐色(se)(se)。葉(xie)片(pian)(pian)卵(luan)(luan)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)至(zhi)橢圓(yuan)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing),稀(xi)長(chang)橢圓(yuan)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing),長(chang)3-9厘(li)米(mi),寬(kuan)1.5-5厘(li)米(mi),先(xian)端急(ji)尖(jian)稀(xi)圓(yuan)鈍,基部楔形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)至(zhi)寬(kuan)楔形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing),邊緣(yuan)具有(you)(you)(you)尖(jian)銳鋸(ju)齒,齒尖(jian)開展(zhan),無毛(mao)(mao)或(huo)在(zai)萌蘗上(shang)沿下面(mian)葉(xie)脈有(you)(you)(you)短(duan)(duan)柔毛(mao)(mao);葉(xie)柄長(chang)約1厘(li)米(mi);托葉(xie)大形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing),草質,腎形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)或(huo)半(ban)圓(yuan)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing),稀(xi)卵(luan)(luan)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing),長(chang)5-10毫米(mi),寬(kuan)12-20毫米(mi),邊緣(yuan)有(you)(you)(you)尖(jian)銳重鋸(ju)齒,無毛(mao)(mao)。花(hua)先(xian)葉(xie)開放,3-5朵(duo)簇生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)于二年生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)老枝(zhi)上(shang);花(hua)梗短(duan)(duan)粗,長(chang)約3毫米(mi)或(huo)近(jin)于無柄;花(hua)直(zhi)徑3-5厘(li)米(mi);萼筒(tong)鐘(zhong)狀(zhuang),外面(mian)無毛(mao)(mao);萼片(pian)(pian)直(zhi)立,半(ban)圓(yuan)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)稀(xi)卵(luan)(luan)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing),長(chang)3-4毫米(mi)。寬(kuan)4-5毫米(mi),長(chang)約萼筒(tong)之半(ban),先(xian)端圓(yuan)鈍,全緣(yuan)或(huo)有(you)(you)(you)波(bo)狀(zhuang)齒,及(ji)黃(huang)褐色(se)(se)睫毛(mao)(mao);花(hua)瓣倒卵(luan)(luan)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)或(huo)近(jin)圓(yuan)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing),基部延伸成短(duan)(duan)爪,長(chang)10-15毫米(mi),寬(kuan)8-13毫米(mi),猩紅色(se)(se),稀(xi)淡紅色(se)(se)或(huo)白色(se)(se);雄蕊45-50,長(chang)約花(hua)瓣之半(ban);花(hua)柱(zhu)5,基部合生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng),無毛(mao)(mao)或(huo)稍有(you)(you)(you)毛(mao)(mao),柱(zhu)頭頭狀(zhuang),有(you)(you)(you)不顯明(ming)分裂,約與雄蕊等(deng)長(chang)。果實球形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)或(huo)卵(luan)(luan)球形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing),直(zhi)徑4-6厘(li)米(mi),黃(huang)色(se)(se)或(huo)帶(dai)黃(huang)綠(lv)色(se)(se),有(you)(you)(you)稀(xi)疏(shu)不顯明(ming)斑點,味(wei)芳香;萼片(pian)(pian)脫落(luo),果梗短(duan)(duan)或(huo)近(jin)于無梗。花(hua)期3-5月,果期9-10月。
溫帶樹種。適(shi)應性強(qiang),喜(xi)光,也耐半陰,耐寒,耐旱。對土(tu)壤要求(qiu)不(bu)嚴,在肥沃、排水(shui)良好(hao)的(de)黏土(tu)、壤土(tu)中均可(ke)正常生長,忌低洼(wa)和鹽(yan)堿地。
產陜西、甘肅、四川、貴州、云(yun)南、廣(guang)東。緬甸亦有分布。
木瓜(gua)樹需要防(fang)治的(de)(de)主(zhu)要病害(hai)(hai)是(shi)葉(xie)(xie)枯(ku)病,對葉(xie)(xie)子(zi)(zi)的(de)(de)危害(hai)(hai)為主(zhu),有多(duo)(duo)角形黑褐色病斑出現(xian)在(zai)受(shou)害(hai)(hai)葉(xie)(xie)片(pian)上(shang)。凡是(shi)在(zai)綠葉(xie)(xie)期間(jian)都可(ke)發(fa)生這(zhe)一病害(hai)(hai),而尤其嚴重的(de)(de)在(zai)7~8月。防(fang)治措施(shi)(shi)包(bao)括把枯(ku)枝(zhi)落葉(xie)(xie)清除(chu)并集(ji)中燒(shao)掉;以(yi)1:1:100倍的(de)(de)波爾多(duo)(duo)液噴(pen)霧(wu)于葉(xie)(xie)子(zi)(zi)上(shang)。另(ling)一病害(hai)(hai)就(jiu)是(shi)蟲(chong)害(hai)(hai)。這(zhe)些(xie)害(hai)(hai)蟲(chong)主(zhu)要是(shi)天牛、蚜蟲(chong),蛀食樹干、葉(xie)(xie)等(deng)等(deng),防(fang)治可(ke)用樂果(guo)劑(ji)1500倍液施(shi)(shi)行。
早春(chun)先(xian)花后葉(xie),很美麗。枝密多刺(ci)可作(zuo)綠蘺。
公園(yuan)(yuan)、庭(ting)(ting)院(yuan)、校園(yuan)(yuan)、廣場等道路兩側可(ke)栽植(zhi)皺皮(pi)(pi)木(mu)瓜(gua)樹(shu),亭亭玉立,花果(guo)繁(fan)茂,燦若云錦,清香四溢,效果(guo)甚(shen)佳。皺皮(pi)(pi)木(mu)瓜(gua)作為(wei)獨特孤植(zhi)觀賞樹(shu)或三五成叢的點(dian)綴(zhui)于園(yuan)(yuan)林(lin)(lin)小品或園(yuan)(yuan)林(lin)(lin)綠地(di)中(zhong),也(ye)可(ke)培育成獨干或多(duo)干的喬(qiao)灌木(mu)作片(pian)林(lin)(lin)或庭(ting)(ting)院(yuan)點(dian)綴(zhui);春季觀花夏(xia)秋(qiu)賞果(guo),淡雅(ya)俏秀,多(duo)姿多(duo)彩,使(shi)人(ren)百看不厭,取(qu)悅其中(zhong)。皺皮(pi)(pi)木(mu)瓜(gua)可(ke)制作多(duo)種造型的盆景,被稱(cheng)為(wei)盆景中(zhong)的十八(ba)學士之(zhi)一。皺皮(pi)(pi)木(mu)瓜(gua)盆景可(ke)置于廳堂、花臺、門廊角隅、休閑場地(di),可(ke)與建筑合理搭配,使(shi)庭(ting)(ting)園(yuan)(yuan)勝景倍添風采(cai),被點(dian)綴(zhui)得更加幽雅(ya)清秀。
據化(hua)驗分(fen)析,皺(zhou)皮木(mu)瓜優(you)良品(pin)種(zhong)(zhong)含(han)蛋白質0.45%、脂肪(fang)0.57%、粗纖維(wei)2.11%、可溶性(xing)固形物(wu)8.8%、果膠9.5%、有(you)機酸3.22%,每100g鮮果中含(han)鈣(gai)24.79mg、磷(lin)6.04mg、鐵4.53mg、維(wei)生(sheng)素C 96.8mg、維(wei)生(sheng)素A 6.35μg。此外,還含(han)有(you)17種(zhong)(zhong)氨(an)基(ji)酸,氨(an)基(ji)酸總含(han)量(liang)達(da)529m/100g。皺(zhou)皮木(mu)瓜最突(tu)出(chu)的(de)特(te)(te)點是含(han)有(you)豐富的(de)齊墩果酸等有(you)機酸,加(jia)工(gong)產品(pin)不需(xu)添加(jia)防腐劑(ji)、檸檬酸、香精、色(se)素,是風味(wei)獨特(te)(te)的(de)純天然綠色(se)食(shi)品(pin)。
果實含蘋果酸(suan)(suan)、酒石酸(suan)(suan)、構椽酸(suan)(suan)及丙(bing)種維生(sheng)素等(deng),干制后入藥,有驅(qu)鳳、舒筋、活絡、鎮痛、消腫、順氣(qi)之效。
據上(shang)海藥物(wu)研究(jiu)所等單位聯合測定,皺皮(pi)木瓜(gua)(gua)中含有(you)增強人體免疫功能、具(ju)廣譜殺菌(jun)作用(yong)的(de)齊墩果酸(suan),對(dui)傷寒、痢疾桿菌(jun)和金色葡萄球菌(jun)等都有(you)較強的(de)抑制作用(yong)。此外(wai),民(min)間還流(liu)傳著很多用(yong)皺皮(pi)木瓜(gua)(gua)健身治病(bing)的(de)土方(fang)(fang)、驗方(fang)(fang),如加蜜糖煮食用(yong),可(ke)(ke)順(shun)氣、活血、壯(zhuang)筋骨;皺皮(pi)木瓜(gua)(gua)煎湯服,用(yong)于(yu)產婦(fu)催奶;老(lao)年(nian)人用(yong)皺皮(pi)木瓜(gua)(gua)枝干(gan)作手杖(zhang),可(ke)(ke)舒筋活絡,延(yan)年(nian)益壽。另外(wai),皺皮(pi)木瓜(gua)(gua)對(dui)腰腿酸(suan)痛(tong)麻木,腓腸(chang)肌痙攣,四(si)肢抽搐(chu),風(feng)濕性關節(jie)炎等病(bing)癥(zheng)具(ju)良好的(de)功效(xiao)。