476 MR. G. BENTHAM ON AFRICAN ANONACE^. 



8. Anona, Linn. ; Bentli. et Hook. f. Gen. PI. 27. 

 This is a large genus widely spread over the warmer regions of America, and repre- 

 sented in Africa by three species, all belonging to Martius's section Guanabani, one of 

 them identical with an American one and the two others nearly allied to corresponding 

 American ones, and in Madagascar by two species of a peculiar type ; but none are known 

 in a wild state in Asia. Besides the above, four species {A. muricata of the section 

 Guanabani and A. squamosa, A. reticulata, and A. Cherimolia of the section Atta) are 

 more or less abundantly cultivated for their fruits in Africa as well as in Asia ; and 

 specimens are not unfrequently transmitted l)y collectors without indication of their 

 cultivated origin, so as to have given the idea that one or other of them are indigenous 

 to the Old World. The union of the carpels into a single fruit with numerous one- 

 seeded cells radiating from a central fleshy torus readily distinguishes the genus from all 

 other African or Asiatic ones. 



1. A. senegalensis, Pers. Syn. ii. 95 ; ramulis ferrugineo-tomentosis, foliis ovatis 



ellipticisve obtusissimis subtus pube tenuissima canescentibus rufescentibusve (v. 

 rarius glaucis subglabris ?), petalis crassis, exterioribus late ovatis, interioribus 

 oblongo-triquetris, fructibvis demum Isevigatis areolis inconspicuis. — Prutex 2-8- 

 pedalis v. rarius altior. FoKa ssepius 2-3-pollicaria. Pructus edulis, fiavus v. 

 aurantiacus, magnitudine pomi. 



A. arenaria, Schum. et Thonn. Beskr. PI. Guin. 257- 



Widely spread over tropical Africa ; described as growing in great abundance over vast tracts of country 



in Senegambia and Sierra Leone by Leprieur, Barter, and others, in Bornou by Edward Vogel, and 



on the Zambesi by Kirk. 



2. ? A. glaijca, Schum. et Thonn. Beskr. PI. Guin. 259. 



This is a somewhat doubtful species. A specimen of Heudelot's, which Guillemin 

 thought he could identify with Thonning's plant, appears to me to be a nearly glabrous 

 variety of A. senegalensis ; but Thonning describes the leaves as narrower and acute at 

 the base, which I have never seen in A. senegalensis, — besides that one would infer from 

 the expression he uses that the inner petals are broad. His plant may therefore be a 

 distinct species as yet unknown to us. 



3. A. PAiuSTRis, Linn. Spec. 757 ; glabra, foliis ovatis ellipticisve breviter acuminatis, 



petalis ovatis coriaceis, interioribus paullo minoribus, fructibus ovoideis demum Ise- 

 vigatis areolis inconspicuis. — Arbor 30-40-pedalis. Polia 4-5-pollicaria, coriacea v. 

 chartacea, reticulato-venosa, petiolo ssepius pollicari. Pedunculi ssepius poUicares. 



A. chrysocarpa, Guill. et Perr. Fl. Seneg. 6, ex charactere dato. 



In swamps at Grand Bassa Cove {E. Vogel), and, if the synonym of A. chrysocarpa be correct, in the 



marshes of Cape Verd and Cape Mboro in Cayor [Leprieur, his description agreeing in every 



respect with our plant). 



Dr. Hooker in the ' Niger Flora ' suggests that it may be cultivated ; but Vogel was 

 always very exact in noting on his labels all cultivated specimens ; and in the present 



