Annona muricata

Annona muricata L.,

Family     :   Annonaceae

Common Name  : മുള്ളൻചക്ക(Mal)

          हनुमान फल(Hin)

                                  Soursop(Eng)

     IUCN status          :   Least concern (LC) -

Trees, to 10 m high, bark pale brown; young twigs glabrescent. Leaves simple, alternate, distichous; 7-14.5 x 3-5.5 cm, elliptic, oblong, obovate, oblong-obovate, elliptic-oblong or elliptic-obovate, base acute, apex acute to acuminate, coriaceous, margin entire, lateral veins 8-10 pairs, slender, pinnate, prominent, intercostae reticulate, domatia present; petiole 4-8 mm long, slender, glabrous, grooved above. 

 Flowers yellowish-green, solitary, axillary or from mature branches. Sepals 3, triangular, persistent. Petals 6 (3+3) ovate-acute, yellow, thick, glabrous, outer ones 2.5-3.5 x 2-2.5 cm, base cordate, apex acuminate, inner petals ca. 1.5 x 1 cm, shortly stipitate. Stamens many, 4-5 mm long, linear, filaments broad at base, with capitate top of the connective. Carpels superior, ca. 4 mm long, linear, slightly curved, strigose; style broad at base, stigma entire. Fruit ovoid to obovoid, 15-25 x 10-15 cm, green, covered with curved spines, stalks 2-3 cm long, stout; seeds many, reddish-brown, ca. 1.5 cm long.