114 
WESTER. 
the leaves, nodding, fragrant; pedicel 17 to 20 mm long; calyx 
tripartite with small sepals; petals six, arranged in two series, 
the three exterior being linear-oblong, 27 mm long or more, 
blunt, sometimes acuminate, ferruginous-tomentose, velvety out- 
side, whitish inside, keeled, with a maroon-colored blotch at the 
concave base; interior petals rudimentary; stamens indefinite; 
carpids one-seeded, united in a fleshy syncarp. The fruit is vari- 
able in size, from that of a large apple to 5,000 grams in weight, 
irregularly heart-shaped, surface greenish or yellowish, ferrugi- 
nous-tomentose, areoles frequently indistinct, carpids depressed, 
equal or raised, sometimes so much so as to make a distinctly 
“knobby” fruit; flesh whitish and in good varieties, sweet, with 
a slight trace of acidity, aromatic, rich and melting, with scarcely 
noticeable fiber ; seeds brown and variable in size, shape and color, 
about 18 mm long and 9 mm broad. 
The cherimoya is more famed although perhaps less generally 
cultivated than any of its congeners. It is indigenous to Ecua- 
dor, Colombia, Central America, and perhaps Mexico, whence 
it was introduced into other parts of the world. In 1629 Cobo 
sent seed from Guatemala to Peru(iO). This is the earliest 
record, of its introduction into a country outside of its native 
habitat, which has come to the attention of the writer. From 
Peru its cultivation has extended to Chili, and it is now one of 
the most esteemed fruits in both countries. The cherimoya was 
introduced into southern Spain as early as 1757, whence it prob- 
ably found its way into Italy and Madeira. It thrives on the 
northern coast of Africa and fruits well in southern France, 
although no superior varieties have, as yet, been introduced into 
that country. It was cultivated in greenhouses in England in 
1739(1). The cherimoya has long been cultivated in Jamaica 
and Hawaii, and has become naturalized in certain sections 
of these Islands; but it is a remarkable fact that a species 
so easily disseminated, has not, until recently, been introduced 
into some of the old English colonies in the Lesser Antilles. 
Woodrow fails to mention the cherimoya, in connection with 
the other cultivated species as occurring in India. This would 
indicate that even at this late date it was not introduced into 
India, or if so, that it was very uncommon in that country. 
According to MacMillan- it was introduced into Ceylon about 
the year 1880, and is now^ cultivated in many up-country gar- 
dens in that Island. It is to be noted that the cherimoya was 
'Gardening in India (1899). 
'Handbook of Tropical Gardening and Planting (1910) 172. 
