Trees & Plants

Alligator apple

Kalhuthumeyvaa

Annona glabra L.

Common in most of the islands, gregarious growth is not observed. The fruits are edible and used to prepare jam, jellies and wine. It is a popular ingredient in fresh fruit drinks of Maldives. The flesh is reported to have narcotic effect. The plant is used as a superior rootstoc

Details

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uses: The fruits are edible and used to prepare jam, jellies and wine. It is a popular ingredient in fresh fruit drinks of Maldives. The flesh is reported to have narcotic effect. The plant is used as a superior rootstock for Soursop. Wood and roots are used as fish floats. Seeds are reported to contain anticancer compounds. The leaves are a deterrent to the invasive Giant African snail. Th reat & damage: It grows in estuaries and similar natural habitats and chokes the natural vegetation, especially of the mangrove swamps. Its seedlings may carpet the banks and prevent other species from germinating or thriving. of Management: Hand pulling has been successful in ditches and drains. Cut-stump method using herbicides is effective in killing large trees.
family: Annonaceae
synonym: Annona palustris L.
description: Trees, to 10 m high. Leaves × simple, alternate; lamina 6-20 3-8 cm, elliptic or oblong-lanceolate, base obtuse, round or decurrent, apex acute, acuminate or obtuse, coriaceous; lateral nerves 8-12 Th pairs; petiole 8-20 mm long, stout. Flowers Th bisexual, yellowish-green, solitary, internodal for or terminal on short branchlets; pedicel 15- × fi 20 mm long. Sepals 3, 5 7 mm, valvate, ovate, glabrous. Petals 3+3; outer petals 1.5- 3 cm long, ovate, green and glabrous outside, yellow and minutely puberulous inside; Th inner petals 1.2-2.5 cm, elliptic-oblong, puberulous, yellow outside, carmine inside, minutely puberulous on both surfaces. Stamens many, 3-4 mm long, connectives at apex slightly convex; carpels many, connate at anthesis. Fruit an aggregate of × berry, 5-12 5-8 cm, ovoid, yellow to orange, smooth, pulp yellow; seeds many, black.
native range: Tropical America and West Africa
distribution: Th roughout the tropics especially in the Asia-Pacific region
english names: Alligator apple · Pond apple
flowering fruiting: January – May
occurrence maldives: Common in most of the islands, gregarious growth is not observed.