106 



safford: chelonocarpus 



Explanation of Figure 1. A cluster of unopened flowers, leaves, 

 fruit, and seeds of Annona scleroderma natural size; and the torus 

 marked with vertical rows of stamen-scars and bearing the cohering 

 mass of carpels (gynoecium), enlarged 3 diameters. Drawn by Mr. J. 

 M. Shull. 



In addition to the type material, seeds sent in 1910 by Prof. Felix 

 Foex to the U. S. Department of Agriculture from the state of Oaxaca 

 belong very probably to this species (Seed collection No. 29316). In a 

 note accompanying them Prof. Foex writes as follows: "These 

 seeds came from a very interesting fruit of good size, good shape, pretty 

 appearance, and having large seeds: the skin is thick as the shell of a 

 coconut but not so hard; it resists well a pretty hard shock and pressure, 

 and would be very good for packing and shipping." 



Mr. O. F, Cook in his field-notes made the following entry: "The 

 fruit called by the Kekchi Indians of Alta Verapaz box-te, or bosh-te, 



is curious rather than beautiful. The 

 shell is divided into angular depressed 

 areoles by raised ridges. When mature 

 the ridges are dark brown and the areoles 

 between them green. The pulp is readily 

 separable into slender pyramids. These 

 are normally 1-seeded, but in many cases 

 they are seedless. The texture of the pulp 

 is perfect, the flavor aromatic and deli- 

 cious with no unpleasant aftertaste. It 

 is much richer than the soursop, with a 

 suggestion of the flavor of the zapote 

 bianco, or matasano (Casimiroa edulis), 

 but not in the least objectionable. It can 

 be eaten most conveniently with a spoon. The most fragrant pulp is 

 close to the rind. The seeds separate from the surrounding pulp more 

 readily than in most annona fruits." 



Annona testudinea -sp. nov. Tortoiseshell Custard-apple. Anona del 

 Monte of Honduras. 



A forest tree 12 to 15 meters high. Leaf-blades oblong or oblong- 

 elliptical, acuminate at the apex, abruptly cuneate or rounded at the 

 base and usually decurrent on the petiole, those near the base of branch 

 sometimes retuse or rounded at the apex, as in the case of many other 

 species of Annonaceae, 25 to 35 cm. long and 7.5 to 9 cm. broad, 

 coriaceous, smooth and fiat with the midrib impressed above and very 

 prominent beneath; lateral nerves not prominent, connected by incon- 

 spicuous anastomosing veins; petiole rather long (22 to 25 mm.), at length 

 glabrous, grooved above. Flowers not observed. Fruit globose, hard- 

 shelled, 8 to 9 cm, in diameter, its surface divided into polygonal areoles 

 by raised ridges, suggesting tortoiseshell in its general appearance. 

 Seeds 20 to 22 mm. long and 10 to 12 mm. broad, sometimes elliptical 

 in cross-section or slightly compressed with one or both edges sharj:)- 

 cornered but not marginate, testa smooth and glossy, light-brown or 



Fig. 3. Seeds of Annona tes- 

 tudinea, a, compared with seeds 

 of A. reticulata, b, with which 

 the present species has hitherto 

 been confused. 



