This was a section of 3 pawpaws from an American pawpaw tree. I found 2 on the grass this afternoon and picked the 3rd of the group. It is a newish tree and no other pawpaws on it.
Are pawpaws supposed to rip the skin like this when they fall? The 3rd one came off the branch easy enough, so I picked it and didn’t wait for it to drop. Very lucky I found them. Animals devour fallen fruit in the Rustbelt.
From the pictures, it looks simply like what is expected when the stem breaks off after a fall.
The question could be: Do fallen pawpaws often have the stem broken off?
I looked at the pawpaw I picked, and it had the attachments of the other 2 that fell. No stems in that area. Guess the stems broke off the fruit when they hit the grass. Too rainy now to go investigate on hand and knees under the tree.
