Annona
Sp. Pl. 1: 536. 175.
Gen. Pl. ed. 5, 241. 1754.
| Taxon | Illustrator ⠉ | |
|---|---|---|
 | Asimina tetramera Annona glabra Asimina obovata Asimina triloba | John Myers John Myers John Myers John Myers |
Trees or shrubs, taprooted; trunks buttressed or not buttressed at base. Bark thin, mostly broadly and shallowly fissured, scaly, fissures anastomosing. Shoots slender, stiff, terete; lenticels raised; buds naked. Leaves persistent or deciduous to late deciduous. Leaf-blade leathery or membranous, glabrous to pubescent. Inflorescences axillary or supra-axillary, occasionally from axillary buds on main-stem or older stems, solitary flowers or fascicles; peduncle bracteolate. Flowers: receptacle convex to ±globose or elongate, elevated; sepals deciduous, 3 (-4), smaller than outer petals, valvate in bud; petals 6 (-8) in 2 whorls, usually fleshy, those of outer whorl larger, valvate in bud, those of inner whorl more ascending, distinctly smaller or reduced, rarely absent, valvate or imbricate in bud; nectaries present as darker-pigmented, usually corrugate zones adaxially near petal bases; stamens very numerous, packed into ball, club-shaped, curved; connective dilated, hooded or pointed beyond anther sac; pistils numerous, sessile, partially connate to various degrees with at least stigmas distinct; ovules 1 (-2) per pistil; style and stigma club-shaped or narrowly conic. Fruits fleshy syncarps, 1 per flower, usually ovoid to nearly globose, surface variable depending on orientation, structure, and relative connation of pistil apices. Seed usually 1 per pistil, ovoid to ellipsoid, beanlike, coat tough, margins various, narrow. x=7.
Distribution
Mostly neotropic, North America, 10 in Africa
Discussion
Species 110 (2 in the flora).
Selected References
None.
Lower Taxa
Key
| 1 | Sepals reniform-cordate; petals ovate, adaxially concave, those of inner whorl at least 2/3 length of outer whorl; syncarp smooth. | Annona glabra |
| 1 | Sepals deltate; outer petals oblong or lance-oblong, adaxially keeled, abaxially furrowed, those of inner whorl minute; syncarp muricate. | Annona squamosa |