| | Family guide for fruits and seeds |
Synonyms: Hornschuchiaceae J. Agardh; Monodoraceae J. Agardh
Common name: Custard-apple Family.
Number of genera 126. Number of species 2050.
Angiosperm. Magnoliopsida.
Disseminule a dehisced fruit, or an intact or entire fruit, or a seed.
Fruits
Fruit pericarpium, or anthocarp; simple, or multiple; Anaxagorea follicle, or berry (neither Spjut); camaretum (Spjut, Fig. 14F), or baccetum (Asimina triloba), or follicetum (Anaxagorea), or lomentetum, or syncarpium (Monanthotaxis & only family: Spjut, Fig. 38D); berry indehiscent; berry without central placental mass; without persistent central column; not within accessory organ(s); from 5.1–10 cm long to more than 10 cm long; 6–11 cm long (at least); (1–)100-carpellate (=many); with carpels united, or separate; with carpels remaining united at maturity; with carpels remaining connected at style; without sterile carpels; apex not beaked; dehiscent, or indehiscent. Dehiscent unit seed(s). Dehiscent regularly, or irregularly; and shedding seeds; without replum. Epicarp brown (all shades), or blue (ish), or green; durable; without armature, or with armature; with spines; without wing(s); without apical respiratory hole. Mesocarp present; fleshy; composed of 1 unified layer; without lactiform cavity system. Endocarp present, or absent; not separating from exocarp; thin; without operculum; without secretory cavities; without longitudinal ridges. Funiculus short; short without seed bearing hooks (retinacula); not persisting in fruit after seed shed.
Seeds
Aril absent, or present (Goldberg: "often arillate" but this observation is not confirmed by any other author, and Corner noted "mostly exarillate" but noted Xylopia was an example of an arillate genus); a true aril; red, or yellow, or blue, or gray; well developed, or vestigal (Annona, Canangium & these are from indehiscent fruits); adnate to hilum; fleshy; of funicular origin; encompassing, or basal; does not aid in seed explusion from fruit; fleshy. Seed larger than minute; 5 to less than 10 mm long to 25 to less than 50 mm long (5–30); elliptic, or oblong, or ovate; in transection compressed; not bowl shaped; not nutlike; without winglike beak; without caudate appendage(s); at maturity with food reserves; with endosperm; without canavanine. Sarcotesta absent, or present (thin); fleshy. Testa present, or absent (when scarotesta present); without embryo surrounded and capped by viscid tissue; with fleshy or leathery layer over hard layer; surface smooth, or unsmooth; surface with merged raised features; surface undulate, or wrinkled; without crease or line separating cotyledons from hypocotyl-radicle, or with crease or line separating cotyledons from hypocotyl-radicle; without notch along margin where cotyledons from hypocotyl-radicle tip approach each other, or with notch along margin where cotyledons from hypocotyl-radicle tip approaching each other; without glands; without bristles; glabrous, or pubescent; with hairs over surface; with short hairs (minute: Gonioyhalamus); without glandular pubescence; with wing(s) (Richella); 1-winged; without collar; without operculum; colored; monochrome; brown (all shades), or black; not becoming mucilaginous when wetted, or becoming mucilaginous when wetted; surrounding food reserve. Hilum small. Endosperm copious; hard, or fleshy; ruminate; without starch, or with starch; with starch composed of solitary grains (firm); with oils; without fatty acid containing cyclopropene; without apical lobes; without chlorophyll; without isodiametric faceted surface; without odor.
Embryo differentiated from food reserve; well developed; 1 per seed; partially filling testa (with food reserve); 0.1–0.3 times the length of food reserve; at one end of seed not extending into a depression or cup; axile and centric, or basal; linear; straight; without coleorhiza; without simmondsin; without stomata; not green; with 2 or more cotyledons. Cotyledons 2; undifferentiated to 0.1–0.3; as wide as hypocotyl-radicle; smooth; equal in size; not punctate dotted. Hypocotyl-radicle well developed; straight; not thickened.
Distribution
Pantropical and pansubtropical. New World, Old World. North America, Middle America, South America, Africa, southeastern Asia, Australia, Oceania.
Notes
Berries coalesce with receptacle. Anaxagorea dehisces explosively. Spjut's fruit list is not complete. Based on following we also have scored berry and follicle. Cronquist: "Fruit commonly separate, stipitate, fleshy, indehiscent, berry-like carpels, varying to sometimes dry and dehiscent (Anaxogorea) or indehiscent, or the carpels sometimes coalescent to form an aggregtate fruit…" and "gynoceum of (1) to more or less numerous conduplicate carpels on flat or conic receptacles, the carpels distinct or rarely (Monodora & Isolona) connate to form a compound ovary".
Weed information
No USA noxious weeds.
Listed seeds
ISTA listed seeds.
ISTA listed seeds: -- Annona cherimola Mill. -- Annona diversifolia Saff. -- Annona muricata L. -- Annona reticulata L. -- Annona squamosa L. -- Cananga odorata (Lam.) Hook. f. & Thomson -- Oxandra lanceolata (Sw.) Baill. -- Symbols: aagricultural and vegetable seeds (Table 2A Part 1); ttree and shrub species (Table 2A Part 2); fflower, spice, herb, and medicinal seeds (Table 2A Part 3); wweed seeds. -- Last updated September 2008.
Accepted genera
Afroguatteria Boutique -- Alphonsea Hook. f. & Thomson -- Ambavia Le Thomas -- Anaxagorea A. St.-Hil. -- Ancana F. Muell. -- Annickia Setten & Maas -- Annona L. -- Anomianthus Zoll. -- Anonidium Engl. & Diels -- Artabotrys R. Br. -- Asimina Adans. -- Asteranthe Engl. & Diels -- Balonga Le Thomas -- Bocagea A. St.-Hil. -- Bocageopsis R. E. Fr. -- Boutiquea Le Thomas -- Cananga (DC.) Hook. f. & Thomson, nom. cons. -- Cardiopetalum Schltdl. -- Chieniodendron Tsiang & P. T. Li -- Cleistochlamys Oliv. -- Cleistopholis Pierre ex Engl. -- Cremastosperma R. E. Fr. -- Cyathocalyx Champ. ex Hook. f. & Thomson -- Cyathostemma Griff. -- Cymbopetalum Benth. -- Dasoclema J. Sinclair -- Dasymaschalon (Hook. f. & Thomson) Dalla Torre & Harms -- Deeringothamnus Small -- Dendrokingstonia Rauschert -- Dennettia Baker f. -- Desmopsis Saff. -- Desmos Lour. -- Diclinanona Diels -- Dielsiothamnus R. E. Fr. -- Disepalum Hook. f. -- Duckeanthus R. E. Fr. -- Duguetia A. St.-Hil., nom. cons. -- Ellipeia Hook. f. & Thomson -- Ellipeiopsis R. E. Fr. -- Enicosanthum Becc. -- Ephedranthus S. Moore -- Exellia Boutique -- Fissistigma Griff. -- Fitzalania F. Muell. -- Friesodielsia Steenis -- Froesiodendron R. E. Fr. -- Fusaea (Baill.) Saff. -- Gilbertiella Boutique -- Goniothalamus (Blume) Hook. f. & Thomson -- Greenwayodendron Verdc. -- Guamia Merr. -- Guatteria Ruiz & Pav., nom. cons. -- Guatteriella R. E. Fr. -- Guatteriopsis R. E. Fr. -- Haplostichanthus F. Muell. -- Heteropetalum Benth. -- Hexalobus A. DC. -- Hornschuchia Nees -- Isolona Engl. -- Letestudoxa Pellegr. -- Lettowianthus Diels -- Malmea R. E. Fr. -- Marsypopetalum Scheff. -- Meiocarpidium Engl. & Diels -- Meiogyne Miq. -- Melodorum Lour. -- Mezzettia Becc. -- Mezzettiopsis Ridl. -- Miliusa Lesch. ex A. DC. -- Mischogyne Exell -- Mitrella Miq. -- Mitrephora (Blume) Hook. f. & Thomson -- Mkilua Verdc. -- Monanthotaxis Baill. -- Monocarpia Miq. -- Monocyclanthus Keay -- Monodora Dunal -- Neo-uvaria Airy Shaw -- Neostenanthera Exell -- Oncodostigma Diels -- Onychopetalum R. E. Fr. -- Ophrypetalum Diels -- Oreomitra Diels -- Orophea Blume -- Oxandra A. Rich. -- Pachypodanthium Engl. & Diels -- Papualthia Diels -- Petalolophus K. Schum. -- Phaeanthus Hook. f. & Thomson -- Phoenicanthus Alston -- Piptostigma Oliv. -- Platymitra Boerl. -- Polyalthia Blume -- Polyaulax Backer -- Polyceratocarpus Engl. & Diels -- Popowia Endl. -- Porcelia Ruiz & Pav. -- Pseudartabotrys Pellegr. -- Pseudephedranthus Aristeg. -- Pseudoxandra R. E. Fr. -- Pseuduvaria Miq. -- Pyramidanthe Miq. -- Raimondia Saff. -- Reedrollinsia J. W. Walker -- Richella A. Gray -- Rollinia A. St.-Hil. -- Ruizodendron R. E. Fr. -- Sageraea Dalzell -- Sapranthus Seem. -- Schefferomitra Diels -- Sphaerocoryne (Boerl.) Ridl. -- Stelechocarpus (Blume) Hook. f. & Thomson -- Stenanona Standl. -- Tetrameranthus R. E. Fr. -- Toussaintia Boutique -- Tridimeris Baill. -- Trigynaea Schltdl. -- Trivalvaria (Miq.) Miq. -- Unonopsis R. E. Fr. -- Uvaria L. -- Uvariastrum Engl. -- Uvariodendron (Engl. & Diels) R. E. Fr. -- Uvariopsis Engl. -- Woodiellantha Rauschert -- Xylopia L., nom. cons.
References specific to this family
Cronquist page 53. Setten, A.K. van, et al. 1992. Fruits and seeds of Annonaceae. Biblioth. Bot. 142:1–101 with 50 plates; Verdourt, B. 1971. Annonaceae. In: E. Milne-Redhead & R.M. Polhill, eds., Flora of Tropical East Africa. Crown Agents for Oversea Government & Administrations, London; Corner, E.J.H. 1949.The annonaceous seed and its four integuments. New Phytol. 48: 332–364.
General references
Baillon, H.E. 1866–95. Histoire des plantes, 13 vols. Hachette and Co., Paris, Corner, E.J.H. 1976. The seeds of Dicots, esp. vol. 2. Cambridge University Press, New York, Cronquist, A. 1981. An integrated system of classification of flowering plants, 1,262 p. Columbia University Press, New York, Gaertner, J. 1788–1805. De fructibus et seminibus plantarum. The Author, Stuttgart, Goldberg, A. 1986 (dicots) and 1989 (monocots). Classification, evolution, and phylogeny of the familes of Dicotyledons. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 58 for dicots (314 pp.) and 71 for monocots (74 pp.). [Goldberg's illustrations are reproduced from older publications and these should be consulted], Gunn, C.R. and J.V. Dennis. 1976. World guide to tropical drift seeds and fruits, 240 pp. The New York Times Book Co., New York, Gunn, C.R. and C.A. Ritchie. 1988. Identification of disseminules listed in the Federal Noxious Weed Act. Techn. Bull. U.S.D.A. 1719:1–313, Gunn, C.R., J.H. Wiersema, C.A. Ritchie, and J.H. Kirkbride, Jr. 1992 and amendments. Families and genera of Spermatophytes recognized by the Agricultural Research Service. Techn. Bull. U.S.D.A. 1796:1–500, Mabberley, D.J. 1987. The plant-book, 706 p. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, Martin, A.C. 1946. The comparative internal morphology of seeds. Amer. Midl. Naturalist 36:513–660, Roosmalen, M.G.M. van. 1985. Fruits of the Guianan flora, 483 pp. Institute of Systematic Botany, Wageningen Agricultural University. Drukkerij Veenman B.V., Wageningen, Schopmeyer, C.S. 1974. Seeds of Woody plants in the United States. Agric. Handb. 450:1–883, Spjut, R.W. 1994. A systematic treatment of fruit types. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 70:1–182, Wood, C.E., Jr. 1974. A student's atlas of flowering plants: Some dicotyledons of eastern North America, 120 pp. Harper and Row, New York.
Illustrations
Acceptable fruit and seed (external) drawings. Disseminule illustration(s): fruit, or seed, or embryo. Fruit illustration(s): Roosmalen, Baillon, Gunn & Dennis, Verdcourt (1971). Seed illustration(s): Wood, Jr., Gunn & Ritchie, Schopmeyer, Verdcourt (1971). Embryo illustration(s): Corner (1949), Wood, Jr., Gunn & Ritchie, Corner, Schopmeyer, Verdcourt (1971).
• Fruit. 1 of 15. Anaxagorea dolichocarpa Sprague & Sandw.: dehisced fruit with seed. • Seed. 2 of 15. Anaxagorea dolichocarpa Sprague & Sandw.: seeds. • Seed. 3 of 15. Annona cherimola Mill.: seeds. • Fruit. 4 of 15. Cleistoclamys kirkii (Benth.) Oliv.: fruit. • Seed. 5 of 15. Cleistoclamys kirkii (Benth.) Oliv.: seed. • Fruit. 6 of 15. Cleistopholis glauca Pierre ex Engl. & Diels: fruit. • Seed. 7 of 15. Cleistopholis glauca Pierre ex Engl. & Diels: seeds. • Fruit. 8 of 15. Popowia declina Sprague: fruit segment partly open. • Fruit. 9 of 15. Popowia declina Sprague: fruit interior. • Fruit. 10 of 15. Richella monosperma A. Gray: fruit. • Seed. 11 of 15. Richella monosperma A. Gray: seed. • Seed. 12 of 15. Uvaria rufa (Dunal) Blume: seed. • Fruit and seed. 13 of 15. Woodiellantha sympetala (Merr.) S. Rauschert: fruit and seed. • Fruit and seed. 14 of 15. Xylopia aethiopica (Dunal) A. Rich.: fruit and seeds. • Embryo. 15 of 15. Annona senegalensis Pers.: embryo.
We advise against extracting comparative information from the descriptions. This is much more easily achieved using the DELTA data files or the interactive key, which allows access to the character list, illustrations, full and partial descriptions, diagnostic descriptions, differences and similarities between taxa, lists of taxa exhibiting or lacking specified attributes, and distributions of character states within any set of taxa. See also Guidelines for using data taken from Web publications.
Cite this publication as: ‘J.H. Kirkbride, Jr., C.R. Gunn, and M.J. Dallwitz. 2000 onwards. Family guide for fruits and seeds: descriptions, illustrations, identification, and information retrieval. Version: 12th April 2021. delta-intkey.com’.
