116 
WESTER. 
The sugarapple is more widely dispersed throughout the tropics 
and sub-tropics and more generally cultivated than any spe- 
cies of the genus. Some authors have argued that it is indi- 
genous to the tropics of the Old World, but it is now generally 
conceded that the species is native of the Western Hemisphere, 
more especially of the West Indies (14). 
There seems to but little doubt that the Quauhtzapotl or Anona 
described by Hernandez is the sugarapple. The woodcuts, of 
Abate de Panucho and Ate Pannicensis in his “Nova Plantarum 
Mexicanorum Historia,” pages 348 and 454, one a reproduction 
of the other, evidently represent this species although Martius 
thinks that they represent the cherimoya. It is mentioned by 
Oviedo (51) under the name of Hanon. The sugarapple is 
described from Jamaica by Sloane(80), who gives a very good 
illustration of the fruit. Aublet(2) describes it from Guiana, 
and Tussac figures the plant in his “Flore des Antilles,” 1808. In 
the colored plate in the latter work the gynaecium is represented 
as red. If this is not an error of the artist the model was cer- 
tainly anomalous as, according to the observation of the writer,'^ 
this part of the flower is usually white. 
St. Hilaire, who records the species from Brazil(74), argued 
that it was indigenous in Asia and brought to Brazil by the 
Portuguese. Unquestionably, however, DeCandolle is correct 
in concluding that it is a native of tropical America. That the 
sugarapple was transported to tropical Asia soon after the dis- 
covery of the New World is evident from the reference to the 
fruit in Malabar by Rheede(66), and the East Indian Archipelago 
by Rumphius(68). It is recorded from the Philippines in the 
last third of the 17th century, by Mercado® and by Kamel,® and 
is later considered by Blanco (4). It is probable that it was 
brought to the Philippines direct from Mexico by the Spaniards, 
who maintained communication between the latter country and 
the Archipelago for nearly 300 years. Two of its vernacular 
names in India, Manil-panosou and Manil-jaca seem to indicate 
its introduction into India from Manila. It was introduced into 
greenhouse culture in England in 1731(48). In southern France 
it has not proved to be hardy. 
The sugarapple was introduced into Florida in 1833 by Dr. 
* In the Philippines one tree of Anona reticulata was noted in San Isidro, 
Nueva Ecija, with the androecium and gynaecium colored a reddish-purple 
and the exterior petals purplish and quite hairy. 
“ Declaracion de las virtudes de los arboles y plantas que estan en esta 
tierra. FI. Filip, ed. 3, 4 (1880) 59. 
‘Ray Hist. PI. 3 (1704) App. 51. 
