4 ANONACEiE. 



8 (valvate in the West Indian genera). Anther-celU lateral or extrorae. Endoiperm rnmi- 

 uate, including in its top the minute embryo. — 'Woody plants j leaves entire, without ttipules. 



The Order has the same aromatic properties as the MagnoUacea. The seeds of Monodora 

 (Calabash Nutmeg*) are compared with the Nutmeg. The wood atZylopia is called Bitter- 

 wood : the carpids of X. jamaicenaia were found bitter and aromatic by Dr. Alexander. 



The fleshy syncarpia of the Anonece are devoid of aroma, but as eatable fruits they are 

 known as Custard-apples. Some of the most remarkable of these were indigenous in the 

 West Indian Islands, but are now cultivated iu all tropical countries; Anona aquamota 

 (Sweetsop) and A. muricata (Soursop) still grow wild in Jamaica; A. CherimoUa was intro- 

 duced from the Andes. The fruits of some Anonce are not eatable : A. montana from its 

 dryness, A. reticulata and A, paluatria from their disagreeable taste. A. reticulata is, how- 

 ever, a renowned specific against dysentery ; and the seeds of the different species are used 

 to kill vermin. In the fruit of A. pahatria, which affords a choice food to reptiles and 

 Crustacea, a narcotic principle was believed to exist ; but this is denied by Martius. 



The wood of Anonacece is light and tough ; it is used fsr several purposes, especially that 

 from Zollinia and Oxandra (Lancewood), and that of Anona paluatria (Corkwood) is a sub- 

 stitute for Cork. 



TuiDe I. ANONISJE. — Carpela at length cohering and forming a cone-Uke lynoarpimri. 

 — The pollen in a number of apeoiea coherea in a peculiar way, ao aa to form moni- 

 liform pollinaria. 



1. ANONA, L. 



Petals 6-3, distinct. Stamena indefinite i connective produced beyond the eitrorse an- 

 ther-cells. Carpids one-seeded, united in a fleshy syncarpium.— Trees or shrubs of Ameri- 

 can origin ; leaves more or leas dotted; flowers terminal or lateral, and oppoaite to a leaf. 



The specimens in herbaria afford no good opportunity for ascertaining the amount of 

 variability in the characters of species ; but I conclude that no reliance can be laid upon 

 the form of leaves, the size and colour of flowers, and not much upon the down. 



Sect, 1. GuANABANi. — Petala 6, the interior conapicuoua. Leavea evergreen. 

 * Sxterior petals pointed, aearceh/ exceeding the interior aeries. 



1. A, muricata, L, Leaves oblong, at length glabrous; exterior petala broad-ovate, 

 pointed, eubcordate at the haae, scarcely exceeding the interior, these rounded ; aynearpium 

 irregularly conical, }Aant, areolated : the areoles produced into a fleshy, recurved spine. — SI. 

 t. 225 ; Jacq. Amer. Pict. t. 161 ; Tuas. Fl. 2. t. 24 ; Deac.Fl. 2, t. 81.— A low tree, 8'- 

 20' high ; petals l"-2" long, exterior yellowish or greenish, interior yellow or red ; syncar- 

 pium (6"-8" long) yellowish-green, often incurved: pulp white; seeds black or yellow. (ife'cA.) 

 — Hab. Jamaica and Caribbean Islands I, spontaneously and common on pastures : [it ranges 

 through tropical America, but on the continent is perhaps only cultivated or naturalized]. 



3. A. montana, Macf. leaves oblong, at length glabrous ; exterior petals broad-ovate, 

 'pointed, tomentose, a little exceeding the interior, these rounded ; aynearpium globoae, areo- 

 lated : the areoles produced into a minute, fleshy spinule. — Plum. Ed. JBurm. 1. 148./. 1.— 

 A. muricata, 0, Bun. — A low tree, lB'-20' high ; petals 1" long, exterior greenish, interior 

 yellow, syncarpium (4"-5" dium.) not eatable. — Hab. Jamaica I ; March, in woods ; Antigua! ; 

 [Guadeloupe I, Guiana I], 



3. A. laurifolia. Sun. Leaves lanceolate-oblong, glabrous ; exterior petala broad-ovate, 

 pointed, aubcordate at the baae, a little exceeding the interior, these rounded j aynearpium 

 conical, blunt, amooth and without spines.— Ca<«»i. Carol. 2. t. 6T.—A shrub, 10'-12' high ; 

 petals 1" long, exterior greenish on the back. I have only seen an incomplete specimen of 

 this species, from Cuba, and the diagnosis is partly supplied from the figure quoted. — Hab. 

 Jamaica, S. Ann's {M'Nab); Bahamas, e.g. Eleuthern (Cateah.) ; [Cuba I]. According to a 

 statement in the ' Botanical Ilog:i8ter ' (t. 1328), this ranges throughout tropical America, 

 and the plant figured there was introduced from Marauliiio; that figure, however, may be- 



♦ The origin qf this precious substance, which is imported from the Delta of the Niger, 

 will be discus^M hereafter, and the attention of traders may be directed to this valuable pro- 

 duct of Africa. 



