THE ANNONACEOUS FRUITS 193 



Buitenzorg, Java, was " surprised to find it of remarkably good 

 quality considering that it is entirely unimproved and that it 

 has never been recorded as edible. The fruit is about the size 

 of a small custard-apple, with sparse, short prickles ; greenish, 

 and with yellowish, rather cottony but juicy and subacid, 

 refreshing pulp, somewhat recalling the flavor of the soursop 

 though inferior to that fruit." The tree is larger and more 

 robust than A. muricata. 



Soncoya (Annona purpurea, Moc. & Sesse). This tree is 

 little known outside of southern Mexico and Central America, 

 where it is native. In Mexico it has been confused with the 

 soursop, although neither foliage nor fruit resembles that of A. 

 muricata. It is confined to the lowlands ; a moist, hot climate 

 suits it best. In Mexico it is sometimes called cabeza de negro 

 (negro-head) and ilama. The leaves are large, oblong-elliptic 

 to oblong-obovate in form, acuminate at the apex. The young 

 branchlets are reddish pubescent. The flowers resemble those 

 of the soursop. The fruit is round, sometimes as much as 6 

 inches in diameter, brownish gray in color and covered with 

 pyramidal protuberances which terminate in short hooks curved 

 toward the stem. The carpels, which separate readily, each 

 contain an obovate brown seed about an inch long. The flesh 

 is bright orange in color, soft, of pleasant flavor suggesting that 

 of the northern papaw (Asimina triloba). The fruit is not 

 highly esteemed, but is common in the markets of the regions 

 where it is native. The tree is cultivated in Mexican and Cen- 

 tral American dooryards. Because of its large size, its thick 

 skin, the attractive color of its flesh, and its aromatic flavor, 

 the soncoya is of interest in connection with the possibilities of 

 annona breeding. 



Posh-te (Annona scleroderma, Safford). This species, 

 which grows wild in southern Mexico and Guatemala, is 

 o 



