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Annona conica

Overview

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Endangered

Threat status

Interesting Facts

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Description

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Family Annonaceae

Trees , shrubs , rarely woody vines , deciduous or evergreen , with aromatic bark , leaves, and flowers. Pith septate to diaphragmed . Leaves alternate, simple , without stipules, petiolate . Leaf blade pinnately veined, unlobed, margins entire. Inflorescences axillary to leaf scars on old wood or to leaves on new shoots , solitary flowers or few-flowered fascicles, pedunculate ; bracts or bracteoles present or absent. Flowers bisexual , rarely unisexual ; receptacle becoming enlarged, elevated or flat; perianth hypogynous, segments valvate or imbricate; sepals persistent , (2-) 3(-4), distinct or basally connate ; petals either 6 in 2 unequal whorls of 3 with petals of outer whorl larger, petals of inner whorl fleshier than the outer, often with corrugate nectary zone, or petals 6-12(-15), nearly equal or unequal, veins impressed on inner face ; stamens 10-20 or very numerous , hypogynous, spirally arranged , forming ball or flat-topped mass; filament short, stout; anther linear to oblong-linear, extrorse , longitudinally dehiscent ; connective apically elongate , connivent; pistils 1-many, superior, 1-carpellate, 1-locular, distinct or connate to various degrees with at least stigmas distinct; placentation marginal , placenta 1; ovules 1-many per pistil; style short, thick; stigma terminal . Fruits berries , distinct, 1-8(-12) per flower, or coalescent , forming syncarps, 1 per flower. Seeds 1-many per pistil, arillate ; endosperm ruminate , oily.

Genera ca. 128, species ca. 2300 (3 genera, 12 sp: mostly circumtropical .

The family has particular importance in the tropics because of the edible syncarps of some species of Annona ; in the eastern United States the fruit of Asimina triloba (pawpaw) was once much gathered and appreciated. Programs in breeding from selected stock of Asimina have been undertaken (G. A. Zimmerman 1941).

Currently, the Pawpaw Foundation is intensively researching means to develop commercially marketable fruits. Recent studies of the chemical properties of Asimina reveal its pesticidal possibilities, and its potential as an anticancer agent (E. M. Norman, pers. comm. ) The warm-climate genera Cananga, Rollinia, and Artabotrys have been used as ornamentals .[1]

Genus Annona

Trees or shrubs , taprooted; trunks buttressed or not buttressed at base . Bark thin, mostly broadly and shallowly fissured , scaly , fissures anastomosing. Shoots slender, stiff, terete ; lenticels raised; buds naked. Leaves persistent or deciduous to late deciduous. Leaf blade leathery or membranous, glabrous to pubescent . Inflorescences axillary or supra-axillary , occasionally from axillary buds on main stem or older stems, solitary flowers or fascicles; peduncle bracteolate . Flowers: receptacle convex to ±globose or elongate , elevated ; sepals deciduous, 3(-4), smaller than outer petals, valvate in bud; petals 6(-8) in 2 whorls, usually fleshy , those of outer whorl larger, valvate in bud, those of inner whorl more ascending , distinctly smaller or reduced, rarely absent, valvate or imbricate in bud; nectaries present as darker-pigmented, usually corrugate zones adaxially near petal bases; stamens very numerous , packed into ball , club-shaped, curved ; connective dilated , hooded or pointed beyond anther sac ; pistils numerous, sessile, partially connate to various degrees with at least stigmas distinct ; ovules 1(-2) per pistil; style and stigma club-shaped or narrowly conic. Fruits fleshy syncarps, 1 per flower, usually ovoid to nearly globose , surface variable depending on orientation, structure, and relative connation of pistil apices. Seed usually 1 per pistil, ovoid to ellipsoid , beanlike, coat tough, margins various, narrow. x =7.

Species 110: mostly neotropic; North America; 10 in Africa.[2]

Habitat

Typically found at an altitude of 0 to 3,028 meters (0 to 9,934 feet).[3]

Ecology: A shrub or treelet of wet and dry coastal forests , preferring wet micro-habitats close to creeks . Found at an elevational range of 0–600 m. [4].

List of Habitats :

Taxonomy

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Synonyms

Raimondia conica • Raimondia conica (Ruiz & Pav. Ex G. Don) Westra • Raimondia stenocarpa R. E. Fr.

Notes

Name Status: Accepted Name .

Similar Species

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Members of the genus Annona

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 15 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus:

A. atemoya (Atemoya) · A. cheirimola (Cherimoya) · A. cherimola (Cherimoya) · A. glabra (Alligator Apple) · A. longiflora (Jalisco Cherimoya) · A. macroprophyllata (Annona Blanca) · A. montana (Guanabana De Monte) · A. muricata (Dutch Durian) · A. praetermissa (Wild Sour Sop) · A. purpurea (Annona) · A. reticulata (Custard Apple) · A. senegalensis (Senegal Cherimoya) · A. spraguei (Chirimoya) · A. squamosa (Araticum) · A. squamosa x cherimola (Atemoya)

More Info

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Further Reading

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Notes

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Contributors

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal December 06, 2007:

Identifiers

Footnotes

  1. Robert Kral "Annonaceae". in Flora of North America Vol. 3. Oxford University Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
  2. "Annona". in Flora of North America Vol. 3. Oxford University Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
  3. Mean = 1,532.000 meters (5,026.247 feet), Standard Deviation = 1,449.440 based on 7 observations. Altitude information for each observation from British Oceanographic Data Centre. [back]
  4. Muriel, P. & Pitman, N. 2003. Annona conica. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 30 January 2012. [back]
Last Revised: 7/22/2012