Ord. ANONACEiE. 



Arbores (subacri-aromaticas) simplicifolia?, exstipulatas, fo- 

 liis alternis integerrimis penninerviis : dicotyledoneas, hypo- 

 gynas, regulares, hermaphrodites, polyandrae : perianthio tri- 

 mero triseriali, nempe ; calyce trisepalo, corolla hexapetala 

 duplici serie, (vstivalione valvata ; carpellis indefinitis, raro 

 paucis, discretis vel in syncarpium confluentibus ; embryone 

 in basi albuminis ruminati minimo. 



Anone-i:, Juss. Gen. p. 283. Batsch, Tab. 118. 



Anonace*:, Dunal, Monogr. DC. Syst. 1. p. 4G3. Blume, Fl. Jav. fasc. 



7, 8. Alpli. DC. Anon, in Mem. Soc. Genev. 5. p. 177. Endl. 



Gen. p. 830. Mart. Fl. Bras. fasc. 2. 



The Custard-Apple Family is altogether intertropical, with the re- 

 markable exception of the North American Papaw, which extends even to 

 the southern shore of Lake Eric, and the three allied species indigenous to 

 the Southern Atlantic Slates. The order very closely accords in general 

 structure, as well as in the ternary triple perianth, with Magnoliacese ; from 

 which the valvate aestivation and the ruminated albumen essentially distin- 

 guish it. The sensible qualities, also, are much the same ; but Anonacece 

 have usually less tonic, and more acrid and nauseous properties. The bruis- 

 ed bark and foliage of our Papaw-trees exhale a heavy, disagreeable or fetid 

 odor ; as is likewise said to be the case with the tropical plants of the family 

 which yield a bland esculent fruit. 



The presence of an arillus appears to have been first noticed in the order 

 by Prof. Alphonse De Candolle, who proposed to consider its presence as a 

 character of generic value ; and accordingly employed it in distinguishing 

 his Habzelia from Unona, &c. ; also remarking thai this organ was nol 

 known to exist in any Asiatic Anonaceous plant.* Recently, Von Martius 

 has shown that Uvaria Brasiliensis, the only South American species of 

 u hich the fruit has been examined, is likew ise furnished with arillate seeds.f 

 Finally, the examination, last autumn, of fresh fruits of Asimina triloba, en- 



" Mem. Jlnonac. I. c. p. 8- 13, A c. 



I Flora Brasiliensis : .liwnur. p. 39. t. 13 f 2. 



