Abelmoschus esculentus (L - the University of Maine at Fort Kent

Kermath, Bennett and Pulsipher - Food Plants in the Americs
USES/NOTES: Fruits are rich in sugar and fat, but inferior to the
soursop (A. muricata) in flavor. Fruit, seeds, and leaves are
medicinal.
NATURAL RANGE: Amazonian Brazil and Peru, the Guianas, Venezuela, and
the West Indies
REFERENCES: Adams 1972, Brako and Zarucchi 1993, Branch and Silva
1983, Cárdenas 1969, Cavalcante 1991, Estrella 1991, IBGE 1980,
Jardim Botânico de Brasília 1990, Kermath (notes), Morton 1987a,
Silva et al. 1977, Smith 1977, Smith and Schultes 1990, Soukup
1970, Vásquez and Gentry 1989
Annona muricata L. [syn. A. bonplandiana Kunth., A. cearensis Barb.
Rodr., A. macrocarpa Werkl.]
FAMILY: Annonaceae (custard-apple)
ENGLISH: corossol, guanabana, jacama, prickly custard apple, soursop
PORTUGUESE: araticum-de-comer, araticum-grande, araticum-manso,
coração-de-rainha, curassol, graviola, jaca-de-pobre, jaca-do-Pará
SPANISH: anona, catoche, catuche, chirimoya, chirimoya brasileña,
guanaba, guanábana, guañábana, guanábano, huanábano, masasamba,
nejo, sinini, suiti, zapote agrio
USES/NOTES: Large (to 20cm long), somewhat heart-shaped, highly
esteemed fruits have a white, somewhat fibrous, sweetish-tart pulp
that is consumed fresh, as juice, as ice cream, in desserts, or as
wine. Leaves may be made into a tea that induces sleep, crushed
fresh leaves are said to have the effects of smelling salts to
treat fainting, and extracts are being tested as a cancer
treatment. The soursop is the most commercially important Annona.
NATURAL RANGE: Neotropics most likely the Caribbean coast of southern
Central America, perhaps to adjacent areas of South America, and
and most likely areas of the West Indies
REFERENCES: Austin and Bourne 1992, Bonavia et al. 2004, Campbell
1984, Cárdenas 1969, Cavalcante 1991, de Candolle 1902, Duke 1986,
Duke and Vásquez 1994, Guia Rural n.d., IBGE 1980, Joyal 1987,
Kermath (notes), León 1987, Martin et al. 1987, Morton 1966, OAS
1973, Omawale 1973, Popenoe 1974, Rodríguez Martínez 1987, Smith et
al. 1992, Soukup 1970
Annona nutans R.E. Fries
FAMILY: Annonaceae (custard-apple)
SPANISH: araticum
USES/NOTES: Fruit pulp is edible.
NATURAL RANGE: Bolivia and Paraguay
REFERENCES: Martin et al. 1987, Spichiger and Mascherpa 1983
Annona paludosa Aublet
FAMILY: Annonaceae (custard-apple)
ENGLISH: custard apple
PORTUGUESE: araticum, graviola
USES/NOTES: Fruit pulp is edible, though less flavorful than many of
the cultivated Annonas.
DRAFT - DO NOT DUPLICATE OR DISTRIBUTE
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