Annona glabra L.

Linnaeus, C. von (1753) Species Plantarum : 537. Type: Not specified.

Pond Apple; Apple, Pond

Blaze finely layered and blaze odour resembling carrots (Daucus carota).

Leaf blades about 7.5-15 x 3.5-8 cm. Small oil dots visible with a lens. Midrib depressed on the upper surface. Petiole grooved on the upper surface. Twig bark strong and fibrous when stripped.

Flowers about 20-25 x 25 mm. Flowers parts thick and fleshy. Sepals triangular, about 5-8 x 5-7 mm. Outer petals about 22-25 x 18-20 mm with a red spot above the base on the inner surface, inner petals about 23 x 15 mm, with a yellow spot above the base on the inner surface.

Fruits ovoid, obtuse, about 7-8 cm diam., containing many seeds. Seeds about 12-15 x 8-10 mm, slightly flattened. Embryo minute.

Cotyledons elliptic, about 30-40 x 10-15 mm, apex obtuse, base cuneate. At the tenth leaf stage: seedlings glabrous; leaves slightly glaucous on the underside; oil dots difficult to distinguish even with a lens. Seed germination time 53 to 56 days. Seed germination time 53 to 56 days.

An introduced species, originally from tropical America, now naturalised in CYP, NEQ and CEQ. Altitudinal range from sea level to 100 m. Grows in swampy forest situations and in mangrove areas with a fresh water influence. A troublesome weed in the swampy areas of NEQ.

Food plant for the larval stages of the Green Spotted Triangle, Pale Green Triangle and the Green Triangle Butterflies. Sankowsky & Neilsen (2000) and Common & Waterhouse (1981).

Fruit eaten by Cassowaries.

Introduced as a root stock for Custard Apple. Jessup (2007)