Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

39. Anbn, sugar-apple
Ancin or sugar-apple, well known for its sweet-
ish edible fruits, is a cultivated tree which also
grows spontaneously. Its distinguishing charac-
ters are: (1) twigs slightly zigzag, green and
densely hairy when young; (2) sl!ort-stalked
lance-shaped to oblong leaves 2-6s inches long
and 94-2 inches broad, alternate in 2 rows; (3)
yellow-peen narrow flowers 6/s-1 inch long with
3 narrowly oblong petals, usually a few in a lateral
cluster ; and (4) nearly round or heart-shaped yel-
lowish-green fruit 21h-4 inches in diameter, cov-
ered with a whitish bloom but soon turning black-
ish where rubbed and bruised, composed of numer-
ous rounded tubercles or raised segments, with
whitish, sweet,. juicy, custardlike or creamy pulp.
A small deciduous tree attaining 10-20 feet in
height, with broad open crown of irregularly
spreading branches. The bark is brown, smooth-
ish to sli htly fissured into plates. Inner bark is
light ye1 f ow and slightly bitter. The twigs be-
come brown with light brown dots (lenticels).
The green hairy petioles are 1/4-'/z inch long.
Blades are short- or long-pointed at apex and
short-pointed or rounded at base, the sides some-
times slightly unequal, the edges without teeth,
inconspicuously hairy at least when young, mi-
nutely dotted when examined with a lens, thin, dull
green to dark green above, and beneath pale blue
green and covered with a bloom.
There are 1-4 fragrant flowers on slender hairy
stnlks in short lateral clusters but not at base of
a leaf. The 3 pointed p en hairy sepals or calyx
lobes are about l/lo inch long; the 3 thick and
flesliy outer pet.als Yrl inch long and % inch wide,
yellow green, slightly hairy, the inside light yellow
and keeled with a purplish or reddish spot at the
thin enlarged base, and 3 minute pointed scales as
inner petals; very numerous crowded vhite sta-
mens less than 1/1= inch long in a central mass; and
many separate pistils 1/16 inch long, with light
green ovary and wllite styles, crowded on the raised
axis.
ANNONA FAMILY (ANNONACEAE)
T"
Annona squamosa L.*
The a6gre te fruit is formed from the nurnerous
pistils o a flower, which are loosely united,
soft, and more distinct than in other species of the
genus. Each pistil forms a tubercle, mostly 1/43!
inch long and j/4-1/2 inch wide and a separate thin
edible ulp, in which is imbedded 1 oblong shiny
hlackisl: or dark brown seed 1/ 2 -5 /s inch long In
flower and fruit nearly through the year.
The sapwood is light yellow. The heartwood is
brownish. The wood is soft, lightweight, and
weak.
The fruit pulp is eaten raw and may be used to
prepare drinks or sherbet. The green fruits, seeds,
and leaves have insecticidal properties. Else-
where, the leaves, shoots, and roots have been used
in local remedies.
Planted in Puerto Rico for the edible fruits,
spreading from cultivation in roadsides and val-
leys and also in forests where possibly native.
Cornlnonest on the dty coast of Puerto Rico. Also
in Vieques, St. Croix, St. Thomas, St. John,
Tortoln, and Virgin Gorda. Grown more in the
Virgin Islands tllan in Puerto Rico.
RANGE.-Native of tropical America, but the
original home uncertain. Named botanically from
Jamaica. Now widely cultivated as a fruit tree
and spontnneousor naturalized through the tropics
of the world. Planted or naturalized in southern
Florida, including Florida Keys, throughout West
Indies, from Mexico to Brazil, and in the Old
World.
OTHER CoMnroN ~~nr~s.-an6n (Spanish) ; Saramuyu,
cliirmoya (Guatemala) ; anona de Guatemala
(Nicaragua) ; tm6n dom6stic0, an6n de azGcar
(Colombia) ; chirimoya (Ecuador) ; sugar-apple,
sweetsop (United States, English) ; applebush
(Grenadines) ; cachimnn cannelle (Haiti) ; pomrne
car~nelle (Guadeloupe, French Guiann) ; scqpappel
(Dutch West Indies) ; kaneelappel (Surmam) ;
ata, fruta de conde, pinha (Bmzil) .