ANNONA 



ANNONA 



291 



ANNONA (Latin, year's harvest, suggested by the 

 Haitian name anon applied to one of the species. Com- 

 monly spelled Anona, but Linnseus used the double n). 

 Annonacex (Richard, 1808). CUSTARD - APPLE. AHA- 

 TICU. Tropical and subtropical woody plants culti- 

 vated for their fleshy fruits and for ornament. 



Leaves 2-ranked, alternate, devoid of stipules: fls. 

 perfect, solitary or in clusters, extra-axillary, often 

 opposite the Ivs. and sometimes subterminal; calyx 

 usually gamosepalous, 3-parted; petals typically 6. 

 in 2 series, but the inner series in some species reduced 

 to small scales or even wanting; stamens numerous, 

 crowded on the receptacle, the fleshy filament bearing a 

 pair of linear parallel pollen-sacs on its back, these 

 opening extrorsely by a longitudinal slit and capped by 

 the expanded hood-like connective; pistils many, the 

 ovaries usually clothed on the outside with minute 

 hairs and containing a single erect ovule at the base: 

 fr. a syncarpium, formed by the growing together of the 

 carpels and receptacle into a fleshy mass; seeds contain- 

 ing a large wrinkled endosperm with small basal em- 

 bryo. Trees and shrubs, over 50 in number, chiefly 

 from Trop. Amer., but a few from Afr., and several 

 now widely cult, in the warmer regions of both hemi- 

 spheres. 



Several species have been successfully introduced 

 into southern California and Florida. Some of those 

 cited in catalogues and horticultural publications are 

 merely forms of old species and others are generically 

 distinct. Amongst these names are A. mexicana, which 

 was a catalogue name used by Loddiges; A. excelsa of 

 Humboldt & Bonpland, a species never fully described, 

 the flowers and fruit of which are entirely unknown; 

 and A. africana, an obscure species based by Linnseus 

 upon an American specimen with lanceolate, pubescent 

 leaves. A. Irilobata and A. obovata are Asimina triloba 

 and Asimina obovata; A. asiatica of Linnseus is not an 

 annona at all but a rubiaceous plant, Morinda citri- 

 folia; while A. asiatica of Loureiro is A. reticulata, and 

 A. asiatica of Vahl is A. squamosa. A. Forskahlii of 

 De Candolle (A. glabra, Forsk., not Linn.) was based 

 upon a specimen of A. squamosa growing in cultivation 

 in Egypt; to A. squamosa must also be referred A. 

 biflora of Mocino & Sess6, while A. longifolia of these 

 authors is undoubtedly A. reticulata, and their A. fru- 

 ticosa is A.globiflorn of Sohlechtendahl. A. aurantiaca 

 and A . macrocarpa are Brazilian species, the names of 

 which were erroneously applied to certain cultivated 

 forms in southern California; while A. suairissima is 

 only a horticultural variety of A. Cherimola, and A. 

 cinerea of the Antilles a form of A. squamosa. A. palus- 

 tris of Linnaeus is identical with his previously described 

 A. glabra, and the latter name must take precedence 

 in accordance with accepted rules of priority. A num- 

 ber of species described as annonas belong to other 

 genera. Among them are A. amplexicaulis and A. 

 grandiflora of the islands of Mauritius and Madagascar, 

 which belong to the genus Pseudannona. A. Mannii of 

 Oliver, an African species which has a branching in- 

 florescence very different from that of the genus 

 Annona, has been assigned to a new genus Anonidium 

 by Engler & Dicls; and A. Perotlelia of A. De Can- 

 dolle has been placed in the genus Unonopsis by R. E. 

 Fries. Annona obtusiflora of Tussac, together with A. 

 mucosa of Jacquin, must be placed in the genus Rollinia 

 under the name R. mucosa, and to this genus should 

 also be assigned the Brazilian biriba, which is proba- 

 bly Rollinia orthopetala, a species with large, fleshy 

 fruit of delicious flavor, successfully introduced into 

 Florida from Para. The climbing Annona uncinata of 

 Lamarck belongs to the genus Artabotrys. .A.pyri- 

 formis, also a climbing shrub, of Mauritius, the fruit 

 of which is unknown, belongs undoubtedly to some 

 other genus. For Annona longifolia see Duguetia. See 

 also Rollinia, Artabotrys and Cananga. 



W. E. SAFFORD. 



Cultural iiotes. 



While the annonas succeed best on a heavy loam, 

 most species can be grown on light soils and under 

 adverse conditions. The custard-apple (A. reticulata) 

 thrives on the Florida keys in a semi-naturalized state; 

 the cherimoya (A. Cherimola) grows and bears abun- 

 dantly on steep calcareous cliffs in Central America; the 

 sugar-apple (A. squamosa) is successful on dry and 

 sandy soils with practically no attention whatever. 

 The situation best adapted to them is a sloping piece 

 of ground, for, with the exception of A. glabra, they 

 are intolerant of stagnant water about the roots. 



The cherimoya, probably the hardiest of the genus, 

 withstands temperatures as low as 26 F. without in- 

 jury, and reaches perfection only in a comparatively 

 cool climate. The soursop (A. muricala) is one of the 

 tenderest species; ~ihe sugar-apple and the custard- 

 apple are somewhat hardier; all three are successfully 

 grown in southern Florida, but not in California. 



Propagation is usually effected by means of seeds; 

 the most highly valued species, however, such as the 

 cherimoya, are budded or grafted. 



Seeds will retain their vitality for several years, and 

 if planted in warm weather or under glass will germi- 

 nate in a few weeks. If in a greenhouse, they may be 

 planted at any season of the year; otherwise, it is best 

 to plant only during spring or early summer. Sow 

 thickly in flats or pans of light, porous soil containing 

 an abundance of humus, covering to the depth of ^ or 

 % inch. When the plants are 3 or 4 inches high, they 

 should be potted into 3-inch pots; care should be taken 

 to see that the soil is perfectly drained, and waterings 

 should not be too frequent or copious. When the 

 plants have attained a height of 8 or 10 inches, they may 

 either be shifted into larger pots or set out in the open 

 ground; in the latter case, they must have careful 

 attention until they have become established and made 

 considerable growth. 



Both budding and grafting have proved to be readily 

 applicable to the annonas, either in the open ground or 

 in pots, under glass. Several different species have 

 been used for stocks^ A. Cherimola proving the most 

 satisfactory thus far in California, as it is best adapted 

 to that climate; A. glabra has been found to be the most 

 vigorous and satisfactory in Florida. 



Shield budding, essentially the same as practised 

 with the citrous fruits, is the method most commonly 

 used. The work is best done in spring, shortly after the 

 sap has begun to flow, the time varying, of course, 

 according to locality and season. Stocks should be 

 from % to % inch in diameter; seedlings of this size 

 will be eighteen months to two years old. Budwood 

 from which the leaves have dropped, and of about a 

 year's growth, is the most desirable. It is important 

 that the buds be cut large, about 1J^ inches in length. 

 as they are likely to have difficulty in starting and 

 be choked out, on account of the thick bark and rapid 

 callousing of the annonas, if they are too small. The 

 incision may be made either in the form of a T or an 

 inverted T, raising the bark with care so that the deli- 

 cate tissues lying under it will not be injured, and in- 

 serting the bud with as little pressure as possible. 

 Waxed tape should be used for tying. Three or four 

 weeks after insertion, the buds should be unwrapped, 

 and, if they have united with the stock, re-wrapped 

 loosely, lopping the stock at a point 5 or 6 inches 

 above the bud. The wrap should not be removed until 

 the bud has made a growth of several inches. 



For grafting, two-year-old seedlings are used, the 

 operation being a simple cleft-graft, using a scion of 

 well-matured wood from which the leaves have dropped. 



Cuttings of well-ripened wood can be rooted under 

 glass, with bottom heat. This method of propagation 

 is not widely practised, however. 



The annonas, when grown from seed, vary greatly 



