Annona squamosa L.

  • Authority

    Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro & collaborators. 1996. Flora of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 78: 1-581.

  • Family

    Annonaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Annona squamosa L.

  • Description

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    Species Description - Tree 3-8 m tall; stems cylindrical, with numerous whitish, punctate lenticels; young parts pubescent; branches flexuous. Leaf blades 6-15 x 3-5 cm, elliptic, oblong-elliptic or lanceolate, chartaceous, sparsely covered with minute yellowish hairs, especially on veins, the apex acute or obtuse, the base obtuse or rounded, the margins entire and slightly revolute; petioles 0.5- 1.5 cm long, pubescent. Flowers pubescent, pendent, 2 or 3 aggregate on terminal, short, lateral branches. Sepals triangular, ca. 2 mm long; petals 1.5-2 cm long, oblong-lanceolate, greenish; stamens club-shaped. Fruit edible, fleshy, cordate, 6-12 cm long, green, with rounded projections (overall aspect like a pine cone), the pulp cream and sweet. Seeds elliptic, 1-1.3 cm long, light brown, smooth.

  • Discussion

    Common name: sugar apple.

  • Distribution

    Mostly found along roadsides and in secondary forests in semidry areas. Cruz Bay (A1962), Lameshur (A2692). Also on Jost van Dyke, St. Croix, St. Thomas, Tortola, and Virgin Gorda; in tropical America, including the West Indies.

    West Indies| Virgin Gorda Virgin Islands South America| Tortola Virgin Islands South America| Saint Thomas Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Saint Croix Virgin Islands of the United States South America|