TORREYA 



May, 1917. 

 Vol. 17 No. 5 



THE GENUS ANNONA IN THE HAWAHAN ISLANDS 



By Vaughan MacCaughey 



The Annonas^ or custard-apples comprise one of the best 

 known and most highly prized groups of tropical fruits. Their 

 rich, sweet, creamy flesh, abundantly juicy and with delicious 

 aroma, is widely known throughout the tropics and subtropics of 

 the world, both as a fresh fruit, and in the form of sherbets, ices, 

 and preserves. Some of the most delicious fruits that are known 

 to mankind belong to this interesting group. 



The genus contains about sixty species, chiefly trees and shrubs. 

 The majority of these are indigenous to tropical America, but a 

 few are native to Africa. It is very interesting to note that 

 although nearly all of the living species are indigenous to the 

 New World, nine fossil Annonas have been discovered in the 

 Tertiary deposits of Europe. A number of species are now in 

 cultivation in warm countries throughout the world. None of 

 the Annonas occur naturally in the Hawaiian flora, but several 

 of the widely cultivated species just referred to were introduced 

 in very early times, and have now become thoroughly established 

 in Hawaiian gardens, and naturalized in some of the country 

 districts. 



The Hawaiian Islands lie just within the tropics, and are 

 notably cooler than most tropical countries. Hence those 

 Annonas that require a truly tropical environment do not attain 



1 The name Annona is Latin for "year's harvest" and was suggested by the 

 Haitian name Anon, applied to one of the species. In the Hterature the name is 

 commonly spelled Anona, but Linneeus used the double n, and Annona is the correct 

 form. 



[No. 3, Vol. 17 of ToRREYA, Comprising pp. 33-54 was issued 17 April; No. 4 

 comprising pp. 55-68 on 10 May, 1917-] 



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