Order: Magnoliales
Family: Annonaceae
General Overview: Annona cherimola, is a species of small, evergreen tree in the Annonaceae family. It is native to the Andes region of South America and is now widely cultivated in many parts of the world, including California, New Zealand, and Spain.
Morphological Features: Annona cherimola is a deciduous to evergreen woody plant, characterized by its dense and fast growth, reaching a height of 5 to 9 meters. The mature branches exhibit a sappy and woody texture, while young branches and twigs are covered with short, fine, rust-colored hairs. The leathery leaves, 5–25 centimeters in length and 3–10 centimeters in width, are elliptic, pointed at the ends, and rounded near the leaf stalk. The leaves are initially covered with soft, rust-colored hairs, which persist along the veins on the undersurface in mature leaves. The upper surface of the leaves is hairless, dull medium green with paler veins, while the backs are velvety and dull grey-green with raised pale green veins. New leaves exhibit a whitish coloration below. The single and alternate leaves are dark green and slightly hairy on the top surface, attaching to branches via stout, densely hairy leaf stalks measuring 6–10 mm in length. Cherimoya trees produce very pale green, fleshy flowers, each measuring 3 cm in length and emitting a strong fruity odor. The flowers consist of three outer greenish, fleshy, oblong, downy petals and three smaller pinkish inner petals adorned with yellow or brown finely matted hairs outside, appearing whitish with purple spots. Many stamens are present on the inside. Flowers emerge on branches opposite to the leaves, either solitary or in pairs or groups of three, on flower stalks covered densely with fine rust-colored hairs, measuring 8–12 millimeters in length. Buds are 15–18 mm long and 5–8 mm wide at the base, with pollen shed in permanent tetrads.
Biological Characteristics: The fruit of the Annona cherimola tree is highly valued for its sweet, creamy flesh and distinctive flavor. It is rich in vitamin C and other nutrients and is commonly eaten fresh or used in desserts and drinks. In addition to its culinary uses, Annona cherimola has also been used for its medicinal properties. Various parts of the plant, including the leaves and seeds, have been used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of ailments, such as fever, asthma, and diarrhea. Overall, Annona cherimola is a highly prized tree with a range of traditional and modern uses. Its cultural significance and economic value make it an important crop in many parts of the world.
