Annona paludosa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Annona paludosa |
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| Botanical illustration of Annona paludosa | |
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Annona
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| Species: |
paludosa
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Annona paludosa is a type of plant that belongs to the Annonaceae family. This plant is found naturally in several South American countries. These include Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, and Venezuela.
A French pharmacist and botanist named Jean Baptiste Christophore Fusée Aublet was the first to officially describe this species. He named it paludosa because of where it grows. In Latin, paludosus means "swampy," which describes its wet habitat.
Contents
What Does Annona paludosa Look Like?
This plant is a bush that typically grows to be about 1.2 to 1.5 meters (around 4 to 5 feet) tall. Its branches have many small, light brown spots called lenticels, which are like tiny pores.
Leaves
The leaves of Annona paludosa are shaped like long ovals. They are usually 16 to 20 centimeters long and 6 to 7.5 centimeters wide. The tip of each leaf comes to a sharp point. The top surface of a mature leaf is green and smooth, without any hairs. However, the underside of the leaf is reddish and covered with soft, woolly, rust-colored hairs. Each leaf has about 18 to 20 smaller veins branching off from the main middle vein. The small stems that attach the leaves to the branches are about 5 millimeters long and 3 millimeters wide. They are also covered in woolly hairs and have a groove on their top surface.
Flowers
The flowers grow on stalks called peduncles, which are 10 to 15 millimeters long. These stalks can appear alone or in pairs. They are covered in woolly hairs and have a small, leaf-like part called a bracteole at their base and in the middle.
The flowers have three triangular sepals, which are like small leaves that protect the bud. These sepals are joined together to form a cup-like structure called a calyx. The outside of the sepals is covered in rust-colored, woolly hairs.
Each flower has six petals arranged in two rows of three. The outer petals are thick and oval-shaped, about 15 to 18 millimeters long and 15 millimeters wide. Their edges touch but are not joined. These outer petals have a ridge in the middle and are covered in fine gray, woolly hairs. The inner petals are thinner, about 14 to 15 millimeters long and 6 millimeters wide. They are curved inwards and covered on both sides with fine gray, woolly hairs.
Inside the flower, there are many stamens, which produce pollen. Each stamen is about 2.8 to 3 millimeters long. The top part of the stamens has a velvety cap. There are also many carpels, which are the parts that will develop into fruit.
Fruit and Seeds
When the fruit of Annona paludosa is ripe, it is oval-shaped and yellow. It measures about 6 centimeters long and 4 centimeters wide. The fruit's surface is covered with fleshy, pointed bumps. Inside, the seeds are broad, smooth, and oval, about 8 millimeters long and 4 millimeters wide. Each seed has a noticeable part at its base called a caruncle.
How Does Annona paludosa Reproduce?
The pollen of Annona paludosa is released in groups of four, which stay together permanently. This is a unique way for the plant to spread its pollen.
Where Does Annona paludosa Live?
This plant prefers to grow in wet, marshy meadows. This is why its name includes "paludosa," meaning "swampy."
What Are Its Uses?
In 1919, an American expert on plants and farming named Edward Lewis Sturtevant reported something interesting about Annona paludosa. He noted that its yellow fruit is juicy and can be eaten.
