Volume 16 > Part 1 > Year 2022 > Page 35 > Annonaceae > Annona

3. Annona muricata L.wfo-0000537848

Sp. Pl. 1: 536. 1753; DC., Prodr. 1:84. 1824; Kurz, Forest Fl. Burma 1: 46. 1877; Trimen, Handb. Fl. Ceylon 1: 32. 1893; Finet & Gagnep. in Lecomte, Fl. Indo-Chine 1: 108. 1907; Craib, Fl. Siam. 1: 55. 1925; Backer & Bakh. f., Fl. Java 1: 116. 1963; Stewart, Ann. Cat. Vasc. Pl. W. Pak. Kashm. 283. 1972; H.Huber in Dassan. & Fosberg, Rev. Handb. Fl. Ceylon 5: 72. 1985; P.T.Li & M.G.Gilbert in C.Y.Wu et al., Fl. China 19: 712. 2011; S.Gardner et al., Forest Trees S. Thailand 1: 96. 2015.— Guanabanus muricatus (L.) M.Gómez, Fl. Habanera 114. 1897. Fig. 5B. Plate III: C–D.

Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.

Synonyms & Citations :

Description : Tree up to 10 m tall; bark blackish or greyish brown, rugose. Twigs brown, glabrous, lenticellate, shoot tip densely covered with golden brown hairs. Leaves chartaceous to subcoriaceous, elliptic, oblong-elliptic, obovate-oblong to ovate-elliptic, 6–18 by 2.5–7 cm, base broadly cuneate to rounded, apex acute or short-acuminate, the acumen 1–2 mm long, glossy green and glabrous above, pale green and slightly hairy below, secondary veins 6–13 per side, brochidodromous, not conspicuous above; petioles 4–15 mm long, glabrous. Inflorescences leaf-opposed or extra-axillary, 1–2(–3)-flowered, plants occasionally cauliflorous, peduncle 2–5 mm long, woody, pedicels 10–20 mm long, pubescent; buds ovoid or subglobose. Sepals ovate-elliptic to ovate-triangular, 3–5 mm long, acute, outside pubescent, inside glabrous. Petals in two whorls of 3, free, greenish yellow to yellow. Outer petals valvate, thick, fleshy, broadly ovate, 30–50 by 25–45 mm, base cordate, apex acute to acuminate, outside rough and pilose, inside smoother and finely pubescent. Inner petals valvate or slightly imbricate, slightly thinner than the outer petals, pale yellow to yellow, ovate or ovate-elliptic, 20–45 by 17–40 mm, base cuneate, apex obtuse, both sides pubescent. Stamens numerous, narrowly cuneate, 4–5 mm long, anther connective apex truncate. Carpels numerous, linear or oblong, ca 5 mm long, pubescent. Receptacle conical or hemispherical. Pseudosyncarp borne on a pedicel up to 30 mm long, pale green when mature, ellipsoid or ovoid and often asymmetrical or curved, 7–35 by 6–20 cm, areoles marked by a distinct curved prickle. Seeds ovoid or ellipsoid, 14–17 by 8–10 mm, brown to dark brown, shiny.

Thailand : NORTHERN: Chiang Mai (Mae Cha Tha); NORTH-EASTERN: Loei (Wang Saphung); CENTRAL: Nakhon Pathom (Silpakorn University), Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (Bangkok) (Wat Bowonnivet Vihan); PENINSULAR: Surat Thani (Khlong Phanom), Trang (Kantang). The species has been cultivated throughout the country.

Distribution : Native of tropical America but widely cultivated throughout the tropics.

Ecology : In Thailand, usually cultivated in moist, semi-shaded areas. Flowering and fruiting throughout the year.

Vernacular : Thurian thet (ทุเรียนเทศ), thurian khaek (ทุเรียนแขก)(Central); ma thurian (มะทุเรียน)(Northern); thurian nam (ทุเรียนน้ำ)(Southern).

CommonName : Soursop

Notes: The flowers are slightly fragrant in daytime, especially in the morning.