173 Species of Genus Annona

A Deep Dive into the Delightful World of Annona

As a plant enthusiast, I’m always fascinated by the sheer diversity of the botanical world. One genus that continually captures my attention is Annona, a group of flowering plants belonging to the Annonaceae family. This family is also known as the custard apple family, and for good reason! Many Annona species produce delicious, fleshy fruits with a creamy texture, reminiscent of custard.

The Allure of Annona

What is it about Annona that I find so captivating? Perhaps it’s the unique shapes and textures of their fruits, ranging from the heart-shaped soursop with its spiky exterior to the bumpy, segmented sugar-apple. Or maybe it’s the subtle, sweet fragrance that emanates from their flowers, attracting pollinators with their promise of nectar. Whatever the reason, I’m always eager to learn more about these fascinating plants.

A Tropical Treasure Trove

Annona is primarily a tropical genus, with most species originating in the Neotropics (Central and South America) and Afrotropical (Africa) regions. These plants thrive in warm climates with ample sunshine and humidity. While they prefer tropical environments, some species can tolerate slightly cooler conditions.

Distinctive Characteristics

Annona species are typically evergreen or semi-deciduous trees or shrubs. They possess simple, alternate leaves and solitary flowers with three sepals and six petals. The flowers are often greenish-yellow and possess a fleshy texture. One intriguing aspect of Annona flowers is that the male and female parts mature at different times, a mechanism that promotes cross-pollination.

But it’s the fruit that truly distinguishes Annona. These aggregate fruits develop from a single flower with multiple ovaries. The result is a fruit composed of numerous individual segments, often fused together. The flesh of the fruit is typically soft, creamy, and sweet, with a flavor that varies depending on the species.

A Bounty of Species

The genus Annona is quite diverse, encompassing over 160 recognized species. Here are:

1. Annona acuminata Saff.
2. Annona acutiflora Mart.
3. Annona acutifolia Saff. ex R.E.Fr.
4. Annona amazonica R.E.Fr.
5. Annona ambotay Aubl.
6. Annona andicola (Maas & Westra) H.Rainer
7. Annona angustifolia Huber
8. Annona annonoides (R.E.Fr.) Maas & Westra
9. Annona asplundiana R.E.Fr.
10. Annona atabapensis Kunth
11. Annona aurantiaca Barb.Rodr.
12. Annona bahiensis (Maas & Westra) H.Rainer
13. Annona bicolor Urb.
14. Annona billbergii R.E.Fr.
15. Annona boliviana (R.E.Fr.) H.Rainer
16. Annona bullata A.Rich.
17. Annona burchellii R.E.Fr.
18. Annona cacans Warm.
19. Annona caesia G.E.Schatz, C.A.Ramos & O.Ortiz
20. Annona calcarata (R.E.Fr.) H.Rainer
21. Annona calophylla R.E.Fr.
22. Annona campestris R.E.Fr.
23. Annona caput-medusae Westra & H.Rainer
24. Annona cascarilloides Griseb.
25. Annona centrantha (R.E.Fr.) H.Rainer
26. Annona cercocarpa Saff.
27. Annona cherimola Mill.
28. Annona cherimolioides Triana & Planch.
29. Annona conica Ruiz & Pav. ex G.Don
30. Annona contrerasii J.Jiménez Ram. & J.C.Soto
31. Annona cordifolia (Szyszył.) Poepp. ex Maas & Westra
32. Annona coriacea Mart.
33. Annona cornifolia A.St.-Hil.
34. Annona crassiflora Mart.
35. Annona crassivenia Saff.
36. Annona cristalensis (Alain) Borhidi & Moncada
37. Annona crotonifolia Mart.
38. Annona cubensis R.E.Fr.
39. Annona cuspidata (Mart.) H.Rainer
40. Annona danforthii (Standl.) H.Rainer
41. Annona deceptrix (Westra) H.Rainer
42. Annona deminuta R.E.Fr.
43. Annona densicoma Mart.
44. Annona dioica A.St.-Hil.
45. Annona dolabripetala Raddi
46. Annona dolichopetala (R.E.Fr.) H.Rainer
47. Annona dolichophylla R.E.Fr.
48. Annona domingensis R.E.Fr.
49. Annona duckei Diels
50. Annona dumetorum R.E.Fr.
51. Annona echinata Dunal
52. Annona ecuadorensis R.E.Fr.
53. Annona edulis (Triana & Planch.) H.Rainer
54. Annona ekmanii R.E.Fr.
55. Annona emarginata (Schltdl.) H.Rainer
56. Annona excellens R.E.Fr.
57. Annona exsucca DC.
58. Annona fendleri (R.E.Fr.) H.Rainer
59. Annona ferruginea (R.E.Fr.) H.Rainer
60. Annona foetida Mart.
61. Annona fosteri (Maas & Westra) H.Rainer
62. Annona frutescens R.E.Fr.
63. Annona gardneri R.E.Fr.
64. Annona gigantophylla (R.E.Fr.) R.E.Fr.
65. Annona glabra L.
66. Annona glauca Schumach. & Thonn.
67. Annona glaucophylla R.E.Fr.
68. Annona globiflora Schltdl.
69. Annona glomerulifera (Maas & Westra) H.Rainer
70. Annona gracilis R.E.Fr.
71. Annona granvilleana Maas & H.Rainer
72. Annona haematantha Miq.
73. Annona haitiensis R.E.Fr.
74. Annona havanensis R.E.Fr.
75. Annona hayesii Saff.
76. Annona helosioides (Maas & Westra) H.Rainer
77. Annona herzogii (R.E.Fr.) H.Rainer
78. Annona hispida (Maas & Westra) H.Rainer
79. Annona holosericea Saff.
80. Annona hypoglauca Mart.
81. Annona hystricoides A.H.Gentry
82. Annona imparilis H.Rainer
83. Annona inconformis Pittier
84. Annona insignis R.E.Fr.
85. Annona ionophylla Triana & Planch.
86. Annona iquitensis R.E.Fr.
87. Annona jahnii Saff.
88. Annona jamaicensis Sprague
89. Annona jucunda (Diels) H.Rainer
90. Annona leptopetala (R.E.Fr.) H.Rainer
91. Annona liebmanniana Baill.
92. Annona longiflora S.Watson
93. Annona longipedicellata A.C.Webber & Gottsb.
94. Annona longipes Saff.
95. Annona macrocalyx R.E.Fr.
96. Annona macroprophyllata Donn.Sm.
97. Annona malmeana R.E.Fr.
98. Annona mammifera (Maas & Westra) H.Rainer
99. Annona manabiensis Saff. ex R.E.Fr.
100. Annona maritima (Záchia) H.Rainer
101. Annona membranacea R.E.Fr.
102. Annona micrantha Bertero ex Spreng.
103. Annona moaensis León & Alain
104. Annona montana Macfad.
105. Annona monticola Mart.
106. Annona mucosa Jacq.
107. Annona muricata L.
108. Annona nana Exell
109. Annona neglecta R.E.Fr.
110. Annona neoamazonica H.Rainer
111. Annona neochrysocarpa H.Rainer
112. Annona neoecuadorensis H.Rainer
113. Annona neoelliptica H.Rainer & Maas
114. Annona neoinsignis H.Rainer
115. Annona neosalicifolia H.Rainer
116. Annona neosericea H.Rainer
117. Annona neoulei H.Rainer
118. Annona neovelutina H.Rainer
119. Annona nipensis Alain
120. Annona nitida Mart.
121. Annona nutans (R.E.Fr.) R.E.Fr.
122. Annona oblongifolia R.E.Fr.
123. Annona oleifolia Westra & H.Rainer
124. Annona oligocarpa R.E.Fr.
125. Annona oxapampae Maas & Westra
126. Annona pachyantha (Maas & Westra) H.Rainer
127. Annona palmeri Saff.
128. Annona paludosa Aubl.
129. Annona papilionella (Diels) H.Rainer
130. Annona paraensis R.E.Fr.
131. Annona paraguayensis R.E.Fr.
132. Annona parviflora (A.St.-Hil.) H.Rainer
133. Annona penicillata H.Rainer
134. Annona pickelii (Diels) H.Rainer
135. Annona pittieri Donn.Sm.
136. Annona poeppigii (Mart.) Maas & Westra
137. Annona praetermissa Rendle
138. Annona prevostiae H.Rainer
139. Annona pruinosa Schatz
140. Annona punicifolia Triana & Planch.
141. Annona purpurea Moc. & Sessé ex Dunal
142. Annona quinduensis Kunth
143. Annona rensoniana (Standl.) H.Rainer
144. Annona reticulata L.
145. Annona rigida R.E.Fr.
146. Annona rosei Saff.
147. Annona rufinervis (Triana & Planch.) H.Rainer
148. Annona rugulosa (Schltdl.) H.Rainer
149. Annona saffordiana R.E.Fr.
150. Annona salicifolia Ekman & R.E.Fr.
151. Annona salzmannii A.DC.
152. Annona sanctae-crucis S.Moore
153. Annona scandens Diels ex Pilg.
154. Annona schunkei (Maas & Westra) H.Rainer
155. Annona scleroderma Saff.
156. Annona sclerophylla Saff.
157. Annona senegalensis Pers.
158. Annona sericea Dunal
159. Annona spinescens Mart.
160. Annona spraguei Saff.
161. Annona squamosa L.
162. Annona stenophylla Engl. & Diels
163. Annona sylvatica A.St.-Hil.
164. Annona symphyocarpa Sandwith
165. Annona tenuiflora Mart.
166. Annona tomentosa R.E.Fr.
167. Annona ulei R.E.Fr.
168. Annona urbaniana R.E.Fr.
169. Annona vepretorum Mart.
170. Annona volubilis Lundell
171. Annona warmingiana Mello-Silva & Pirani
172. Annona williamsii (Rusby ex R.E.Fr.) H.Rainer
173. Annona xylopiifolia A.St.-Hil. & Tul.

Beyond the Fruit

While Annona is primarily cultivated for its edible fruits, the genus also has other uses. Some species are utilized in traditional medicine for their purported health benefits. For instance, extracts from the leaves and bark of the soursop tree have been used to treat a variety of ailments, although scientific research on their efficacy is ongoing.

Furthermore, certain Annona species possess insecticidal properties. Compounds extracted from these plants have shown potential for use in natural pest control methods, offering a more environmentally friendly alternative to synthetic pesticides.

Cultivating Curiosity

My fascination with Annona continues to grow as I delve deeper into its botanical intricacies and cultural significance. From the diverse array of fruit flavors to the potential medicinal and insecticidal applications, this genus offers a wealth of exploration. Whether I’m savoring the sweet taste of a fresh sugar-apple or admiring the intricate structure of an Annona flower, I’m reminded of the endless wonders of the plant kingdom.