View source for Annona squamosa

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|genus=Annona 
|species=squamosa
|Temp Metric=°F
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Annona squamosa. Linn. (A. cinérea, Duñal. A. Forskahlii, DC. .4. biflora, Mociño & Sessé). Sugar-apple. Sweet-sop. Anon. Atta. Atte. Atis. Pomme- Cannelle. Keschta. Fruta Da Condessa. Ahate De Panuco. Steenappel. Texaltzapotl. Pinha. Fig. 214. A small deciduous tree, 15-20 ft. high, with irregularly spreading branches and zigzag branchlets bearing approximate 2-ranked Lvs.; young growth pubescent, at length glabrate or clothed with scattered hairs and dotted with lenticels: Lvs. conduplicate, resembling those of A. reticulata, but smaller, usually lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, acute or shortly acuminate at the apex and acute or cunéate at the base, sometimes ovate or elliptical and rounded at the base with a tendency to be asymmetrical, membranaceous, minutely punctate with both surfaces pale green; sparsely hairy at first, at length glabrate or nearly so, except the petiole, which is pubescent: fls. borne on the young branchlets, closely resembling those of A. reticulata, extra-axillary, usually in clusters of 2, 3, or 4, but sometimes solitary; peduncles slender, sparsely and delicately pilose, at length glabrate, bearing a minute bracteole below the middle, which terminates in a tuft of floccose hairs; outer petals oblong- linear, thick, triquetrous, rounded at the apex and excavated at the base, greenish yellow, usually marked within by a wine-colored or purplish red spot at the base; inner petals minute, ovate or obovate, keeled on the outside; stamens with broad terminal connectives of a cinnamon-brown or orange-red color; carpels distinct, clothed with pale brown hairs, sulcate on the ventral side and terminating in oblong or taper-pointed styles: fr. about the size of an orange, spheroid or heart-shaped, composed of loosely cohering carpels rounded at the extremities and grooved on the inner side, forming a squamose or tuberculated surface, greenish yellow and covered with a glaucous bloom at first, but soon turning black in spots when handled, and the waxy bloom easily rubbed off; pulp yellowish white, creamy or custard-like, very sweet and pleasantly flavored; seeds dark brown, smooth, closely resembling those of A. reticulata. Trop. Amer., now widely cult. in all tropical countries.—Less robust than A. reticulata, with fr. much more highly prized, and produced several times during the year instead of only once, as in that species. Like A. reticulala, it is essentially tropical and will not thrive in subtropical regions which are suitable for the cult, of the cherimoya. It has been intro. into S. Fla. Delicious sherbets are made from its custard-like pulp, often with the addition of a little lemon juice, but it is never cooked or made into preserves or jelly, like the soursop. The fr., when green, as well as the seeds and Lvs., is used for destroying vermin; and the crushed Lvs., in the form of poultices, are applied to ulcers and malignant sores in the W. Indies. The root is a drastic purgative. 
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