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Annona muricata

L. (1753)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Magnoliids Order: Magnoliales Family: Annonaceae Genus: Annona

soursop

Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Trees to 10 m tall, evergreen. Bark rugose.

Stems:

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Alternate. Blades obovate–oblong to ovate–elliptic, 5–18 × 2–7 cm. Apex acute to obtuse. Base broadly cuneate to rounded. Upper surfaces green and shiny lower surface greenish and glabrous; blade papery. Margins entire. Veins pinnate. Secondary veins 6–13 on each side of midvein and slightly prominent on both surfaces. Petioles short. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers in inflorescences axillary, 1– or 2–flowered. pedicel 0.5–2.5 cm, pubescent. Flowers bisexual (perfect), ca. 3.8 cm in diam. Calyx of 3 sepals, ovate–elliptic to ovate–triangular, 3–5 mm, valvate. Corolla of 6 petals, green, later yellowish, inside basally without a red spot; in 2 whorls; outer petals thick, broadly triangular, 2.5–5 × 2–4 cm, inside finely pubescent, apex acute to obtuse, margin thick; inner petals ovate–elliptic, 2–4 × 1.5–3.5 cm, slightly thin, imbricate, pubescent, base clawed, apex obtuse. Stamens numerous, 4–5 mm long; filaments fleshy, short; connectives apically dilated. Ovary superior; carpels many, ca. 5 mm, pubescent; ovule 1 per carpel, basal; styles clavate; stigmas muriculate.

Fruit: Syncarps green; ovoid and often oblique or curved; 10–35 × 7–15 cm; covered with soft prickles; base impressed; apex rounded; pulp white. Seeds brownish yellow; reniform; ca. 2 × 1 cm; embedded in edible pulp.

Ploidy:

Habitat:

Elevation Range: 100–400 m.

Historical Distribution

Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

Kaua'i Only found in cultivation
O'ahu Only found in cultivation
Molokai Naturalized

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: Sp. Pl.: 536 (1753)

Other References

Staples & Herbst 2005:109 (DESCR); Wysong et al. 2007:2 (NEWNAT/Mo)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Annona muricata Honolulu, Foster Botanic Garden Preserved_Specimen Krajina, V.J. 6299 Oahu BISH 1962-02-09
2 Annona muricata Honolulu, Bingham Tract area, adjacent to the Lunalilo Freeway at the McCully St. overpass Preserved_Specimen A tree 5 m tall in full sun. Flowers borne largely along the trunk and the larger branches. Flowers chartreuse; odorless (morning). Lau, J. 1559 Oahu BISH 1985-10-28
3 Annona muricata Hillebrand Bot. Gardens Honolulu, Hawaii Preserved_Specimen Grant, M.L. 7558 Oahu BISH 1934-11-26
4 Annona muricata Honolulu, Queens Hospital Preserved_Specimen Leaves and petals, from ground. Neal, M.C. Oahu BISH 1953-09-07
5 Annona muricata University of Hawaii Manoa Campus. Preserved_Specimen tre with dark green, glossy foliage; flowers yellowish; fruit green, with soft spines, white, pulpy flesh and black seeds. Flowers and fruit odoriferous. Herbst, D.R. 633 Oahu BISH 1967-10-06
6 Annona muricata Tantalus, U.S. Experiment Station Preserved_Specimen MacDaniels, L.H. 374 Oahu BISH 1927-01-24
7 Annona muricata Honolulu, Hillebrand Botanical Gardens Preserved_Specimen Grant, M.L. 7558 Oahu BISH 1934-11-26
8 Annona muricata Koloa District. Kalaheo, yard of house at 3581 Kaloke St.. Cultivated. Preserved_Specimen Small tree 2.5 m tall, crown irregular, bark gray, rugose. Leaves medium green, shiny above. Flowers with thick petals (fallen). Fruit green, muricate, Lorence, D.H. 10849 Kauai BISH 2021-03-15
9 Annona muricata Honolulu: Manoa Valley; University of Hawaii Manoa Campus Preserved_Specimen Krajina, V.J. 62252 Oahu BISH 1962-02-14
10 Annona muricata Koloa District, Lawai Valley Pacific Tropical Botanical Garden; Lawai Kai, by Heliconia section just south of Pump 6, at North end of Allerton gardens Preserved_Specimen Tree 4m. tall, gruits pendulous from trunk and branches, green, submature, seeds black. Lorence, D.H. 5767 Kauai BISH 1988-02-01
11 Annona muricata Kalaheo, Ola Pua Gardens; former McBryde Sugar Co. manager's residence Cultivated tree #131; 40' tall. Preserved_Specimen Flowers borne both at branch tips and along branch as well as directly on main trunk; petals 6, very thick. Weissich, P. 131 Kauai BISH 1994-10-07
12 Annona muricata Honolulu, Nuuanu Moist region. Preserved_Specimen Inafuku, R. Oahu BISH 1930-10-06
13 Annona muricata Puhi Camp, west of Kauai Community College from yard of abandoned homesite. Preserved_Specimen Small tree of 15 ft. Pedicel green with light green spots. Stamens green edged reddish. Outer petals greenish-yellow outside, pale cream yellow inside; inner petals nearly yellow. Flynn, T.W. 1639 Kauai BISH 1986-04-04
14 Annona muricata National Tropical Botanical Garden in Lawai Valley, McBryde Garden, Upper Valley fruit orchard (Food for Thought area), west side of Lawai Stream Preserved_Specimen Tree 8 m x 25 cm dbh, bark smooth, gray. Lvs. Dark green glossy above. Rami-and cauliflorous, calyx dark green, outer petals green without, greenish-cream within, inner petals cream color, stamens and stigmatic cap cream turning brown. Fruit (not collected) light green w soft spines, ovoid, c. 25 - 30 x 15 -5 20 cm, with s Lorence, D.H. 10424 Kauai BISH 2013-10-07
15 Annona muricata Kalaupapa; Waihanau Preserved_Specimen small tree Wysong, M.L. 446 Molokai BISH 2004-11-17
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