118 
WESTER, 
vationum Botanicarum,” illustrating a twig with leaves and 
flowers, said to be Anona squamosa, is evidently the custardapple. 
(Vol. I, t. 6, f. 1.) 
Anona muricata L. (§ Guanabani) PI. VII, X. 
A small tree, 4 to 6 meters in height, the young growth ferru- 
ginous-tomentose ; leaves oblong-ovate or obovate, 8 to 18 cm 
long, acute at the base, scarcely obtuse, the apex shortly acumin- 
ate, dark-green above, shining, pale-green beneath, exhaling, 
when bruised, an odor similar to that of the black currant,^ 
lateral veins not prominent, petioles 6 to 8 mm long. Flowers 
one to three, nodding ; calyx small, tripartite ; petals six, arranged 
in two series, the exterior ones 35 to 40 mm long, greenish- 
yellow and granular outside, smooth inside, ovate, concave, acute 
or acuminate, exceeding the interior ones; fruit ovate-oblong 
or conical, irregular, attaining a weight of 450 to 3,500 grams, 
frequently exceeding this size, greenish, and covered with soft 
spines corresponding to the carpids; flesh white, rather flbrous, 
subacid with a suggestion of turpentine, juicy and of good 
flavor; seeds brownish, smooth, about the same size as those 
of the cherimoya, embedded in the pulp. 
The soursop is indigenous to the West Indies from whence it 
has spread to all parts of the tropics. It would appear that 
this fruit was first known to Oviedo who describes it under the 
name Guanabano(50), referring to its refreshing quality. Nier- 
emberg 100 years later speaks of the soursop under the name 
Guanabanis(49). It is pictured by Piso and Marcgrav, in “His- 
toria Naturalis Brasilia,” published in 1648, this being the ear- 
liest illustration of the species that has come to the attention 
of the author. It is described in this work under the name 
Araticu ponhe. After this date references to the soursop become 
more frequent. 
It is evident that some authors confounded this species with 
other Anonas. Sloane has a very good plate of the soursop, 
the fruit being particularly true to nature. It is also well illus- 
trated by Jacquin(37), and Merian(47). The species was intro- 
duced into greenhouse culture in England in 1656, earlier than 
any other species of the genus (i). The soursop was introduced 
into Florida by Dr. Henry Perrine in 1833(81) ; but it is doubtful 
if this introduction was successful. It had, ho.wever, fruited 
^Swartz, O. Observationes botanicae (1791) 221, speaks of a variety in 
Jamaica having inodorous leaves; it does not appear that latter travellers 
in the island have verified this fact. 
