Volume 16 > Part 1 > Year 2022 > Page 36 > Annonaceae > Annona

4. Annona reticulata L.wfo-0000537905

Sp. Pl. 1: 537. 1753; DC., Prodr. 1:85. 1824; Hook.f. & Thomson, Fl. Ind. 115. 1855; Fl. Brit. India 1: 78. 1872; Kurz, Forest Fl. Burma 1: 46. 1877; Trimen, Handb. Fl. Ceylon 1: 32. 1893; Cooke, Fl. Pres. Bombay 1: 15. 1901; Finet & Gagnep. in Lecomte, Fl. Indo-Chine 1: 107. 1907; C.E.Parkinson, Forest Fl. Andaman Isl. 80. 1923; Craib, Fl. Siam. 1: 55. 1925; Backer & Bakh. f., Fl. Java 1: 116. 1963; H.Huber in Dassan. & Fosberg, Rev. Handb. Fl. Ceylon 5: 73. 1985; P.T.Li & M.G.Gilbert in C.Y.Wu et al., Fl. China 19: 712. 2012; S.Gardner et al., Forest Trees S. Thailand 1: 96. 2015. Plate III: E–F.

Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.

Synonyms & Citations :

Description : Tree 3–8 m tall; bark brown to greyish brown, slightly rugose. Twigs brown, glabrescent, lenticellate, shoot tip pubescent. Leaves chartaceous, narrowly oblong to narrowly ovate, 6–30 by 2–7 cm, base cuneate to obtuse and slightly decurrent onto petiole, apex acuminate, the acumen 10–20 mm long, glabrous above, glabrous or with some short hairs along veins below, secondary veins 9–18 per side, more or less eucamptodromous, conspicuous and parallel; petioles 6–15 mm long, glabrous or slightly pubescent. Inflorescences leaf-opposed or internodal, 1–4-flowered, peduncle 2–5 mm long, woody, pedicels 10–25 mm long, slightly pubescent; buds narrowly ovoid. Sepals ovate, 2–3 mm long, outside pubescent, inside glabrous. Petals valvate. Outer petals greenish yellow outside and pale yellow with a dark-red or purple spot inside at the base, fleshy, narrowly oblong to narrowly ovate, 15–25 by 6–10 mm, outside puberulent, inside glabrous. Inner petals absent. Stamens numerous, oblong, 1–1.4 mm long, anther connective apex subtruncate. Carpels numerous, 1–1.5 mm long, ovate, villous. Receptacle conical or hemispherical. Pseudosyncarp reddish brown to purplish when ripe, spherical to ovoid, 5–16 cm in diam., areoles flat, separated by ridges that give fruit a reticulate surface. Seeds ovoid or ellipsoid, 14–20 by 8–10 mm, dark brown to black, smooth.

Thailand : NORTHERN: Nan (Meuang Nan); CENTRAL: Nakhon Pathom (Mahidol University, Silpakorn University), Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (Bangkok) (Suan Luang Rama IX); SOUTH-WESTERN: Phetchaburi (Mueang District); PENINSULAR: Phatthalung (Pa Phayom). The species is cultivated almost throughout the country.

Distribution : Native to tropical America, but widely cultivated in tropical Asia.

Ecology : Cultivated. Flowering: November–February; fruiting: February–March.

Vernacular : Noi nong (น้อยโหน่ง); ma nong (มะโหน่ง), ma niang haeng (มะเนียงแฮ้ง)(Northern); mak o (หมากอ้อ)(Mae Hong Son); non lao (หนอนลาว)(Ubon Ratchathani); rengna (เร็งนา)(Kanchanaburi); ma dak (มะดาก)(Phetchaburi); noi nang (น้อยหนัง)(Peninsular); barasa (บ้าราสา)(Phatthalung).

CommonName : Custard Apple

Notes: Flowers slightly fragrant in daytime, with the banana-like odour found in many Annona species.