Annona muricata.
Soursop are small evergreen trees up to about 6 – 9 metres high.
Young branches have reddish brown hairs.
Twigs have tiny raised dots (lenticels).
Glossy dark green leaves are alternately arranged in 2 ranks.
Leaves have a short hairless stalk with oblong to oval blades to about 16 cm long.
Leaves are shiny above and with a few or no hairs underneath.
There are tiny stiff hairs on the midrib and veins.
One to 3 flowers on minutely hairy stalks a few mms long appear anywhere on the branches or trunk.
They have a green calyx of 3 small, thickish, separate, hairy sepals.
Thick, yellowish petals, in 2 whorls of 3, have long hairs on the outside and matted hairs inside.
They are ovate with a pointed tip.
There are numerous stamens 4 mm long; anthers open via longitudinal slits.
Velvety carpels are covered with dense reddish brown hairs.
They have a short style and 1 ovule.
The dark green, ovoid to oblong fruits are up to 30 cm long.
They are slightly curved and have soft curved spines up to 3 mm long.
Fruit is produced all year and has a slightly sour taste.
Seeds are up to 17 mm long.
J.F.
