Annonaceae

Native: Caribbean and Central America

Systematic Position

Kingdom: Plantae

Phylum: Tracheophyta

Order: Magnoliales

Family: Annonaceae

Common Names

English –  Custard Apple, Bullock’s Heart

Malayalam –  ആത്ത

Description: An evergreen small tree growing up to 8m hight. Leaves simple, alternate; lamina, ovate-lanceolate, oblong, margin entire. Flowers bisexual, green, several flowers born on internodal cyme inflorescence. Flowers are cream or yellowich white in color. Fruit an aggregate of berry, spherical or ovoid, yellowish-red; pulp yellowish or white. Seeds black-brown.

Distribution:  Distributed throughout the pantropics.

Uses: Different parts of this plant is used as traditional medicine and also for industrial products. It possesses several medicinal properties such as anthelmintic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, wound healing and cytotoxic effects. Ripened fruit is edible as it is sweet and is used in the preparation of desserts.