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.

Distribution

Mostly neotropic, North America, 10 in Africa.

Discussion

Species 110 (2 in the flora).

Selected References

Safford, W. E. 1914. Classification of the genus Annona, with descriptions of new and imperfectly known species. Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 18: i-ix, 1-68.

Sargent, C. S. 1922. Manual of the Trees of North America (Exclusive of Mexico), ed. 2. Boston and New York. Pp. 354-356. [Reprints in 2 vols., 1961, 1965. New York.]

Wood, C. E. 1958. The genera of the woody Ranales in the southeastern United States. J.Arnold Arbor.39: 296-346.

Lower Taxa

Annona glabra, Annona squamosa

Key

1	Sepals reniform-cordate; petals ovate, adaxially concave, those of inner whorl at least 2/3 length of outer whorl; syncarp smooth.	Annona glabra
1	Sepals deltate; outer petals oblong or lance-oblong, adaxially keeled, abaxially furrowed, those of inner whorl minute; syncarp muricate.	Annona squamosa