Annona glabra L., Annonaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 10 (Go to the risk assessment).

Other Latin names:  Annona palustris L.

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: yuan hua fan li zhi

English: alligator apple, bullock's heart, corkwood, cow-apple, mangrove anona, monkey-apple, pond apple

Fijian: kaitambo, kaitambu, uto ni bulumakau, uto ni mbulumakau

French: annone des marais, cachiman cochon, corossol de la mer, corossolier des marais

Spanish: anón liso, anona, bagá, cayuda, corcho, palo bobo

Habit:  tree

Description:  "Tree (2-) 3-8 (-12) m high, the trunk narrowly buttressed at the base; leaves oblong-elliptical, acute or shortly acuminate, 7-15 cm long, up to 6 cm broad; pedicel curved, expanded distally; sepals 4.5 mm long, 9 mm broad, apiculate; outer petals valvate, ovate-cordate, cream-colored with a crimson spot at base within, 2.5-3 cm long, 2-2.5 cm broad; inner petals subimbricate, shortly clawed, 2-2.5 cm long, 1.5-1.7 cm broad, whitish outside, dark crimson within; stigmas sticky, deciduous; fruit up to 12 cm long, 8 cm broad, yellow outside when ripe, pulp pinkish-orange, rather dry, pungent-aromatic; seeds light brown, 1.5 cm long, 1 cm broad"  (Adams, 1972; p. 278).

Habitat/ecology:  "A semi-deciduous tree, usually 3-6 m tall.  Both the fruit and the seed float (an adaptation which facilitates dispersal in flowing water).  The hard seeds can remain viable for considerable periods in either fresh, brackish or sea water. A. glabra can behave as a 'freshwater or brackish water mangrove' as it can survive root immersion at high tide and prolonged freshwater flooding.  Seedlings require ample soil moisture and sunlight to survive.  Such conditions can be expected on riverbanks and in naturally open wetlands or disturbed wetlands and rainforests"  (Csurhes & Edwards, 1998; p. 139).

Propagation:  Fruits and seeds spread by water, pigs and birds.

Native range:  Fresh and brackish wetlands in tropical North, Central and South America and coastal West Africa (Csurhes & Edwards, 1998; p. 139).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island		Sykes, Bill (year unknown)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	introduced	Florence, J. (2004) (pp. 75-76)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1990) (voucher ID: BISH 614706) Taxon name on voucher: Annona glabra L.
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Isabela Island	possibly introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Volcán Sierra Negra, Isabela Island	possibly introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) San Cristóbal Group	San Cristóbal Island	possibly introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 77) Error? Presence questionable.
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced cultivated	Glassman, S. F. (1952) (p. 52) Voucher cited: Kanehira 872 (NY)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1981) (p. 39) Vouchers cited: Degener 15069, Smith 9343, DA 10117, DA 7566, DA 10931
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive	Meyer, Jean-Yves (2000) (p. 91) In mangroves.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1941) (voucher ID: BISH 129143) Taxon name on voucher: Annona glabra L.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1953) (voucher ID: BISH 129144) Taxon name on voucher: Annona glabra L.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Huahine Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Florence, J. (2004) (pp. 75-76)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Huahine Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: J. Florence & R. Tahuaitu 11728 (PAP) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced invasive	Meyer, Jean-Yves (2000) (p. 93) "Wet lowlands"
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Florence, J. (2004) (pp. 75-76)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: J.-Y. Meyer 584 (PAP) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Taha‘a Island	introduced invasive	Meyer, Jean-Yves (2000) (p. 93) "Wet lowlands"
French Polynesia Society Islands	Taha‘a Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Florence, J. (2004) (pp. 75-76)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Taha‘a Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J. (2004) (pp. 75-76)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: J. Florence 11069 (PAP) Naturalisée.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced cultivated	Imada, Clyde T./Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. (2013) (p. Voucher specimens) Vouchers cited: Lorence 5570 (BISH 533596, BISH 533603), Weissich 131 (BISH 638515)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced cultivated	Imada, Clyde T./Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. (2013) (p. Voucher specimen) West Maui. Voucher cited: Annable 3875 (BISH 660358)
New Caledonia Îles Loyauté (Loyalte Islands)	Île Maré	introduced invasive	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 15) Voucher cited: Suprin in MacKee 41832 Spontané
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 15) Voucher cited: Robelin in Veillon 5357 (NOU)
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara M./Newfield, Melanie/Bull, Cate (2004) (p. 14)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie (2009) (p. 62) Voucher: Lorence 9921 (PTBG, BNM)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Babeldaob Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2008) (voucher ID: PTBG 214) Taxon name on voucher: Annona glabra
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)		Waterhouse, Barbara (year unknown)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	introduced cultivated	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands	introduced cultivated	Shine, C./Reaser, J. K./Gutierrez, A. T., eds. (2003) (p. 166) Potential invader.
Wallis and Futuna Wallis and Futuna (Horne) Islands	Wallis (‘Uvea) Island	introduced cultivated	Meyer, Jean-Yves (2007) (p. 30) Annona cf. glabra Perhaps naturalized.

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	introduced invasive	Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. (1998) (p. 139)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Costa Rica (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Guatemala (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Honduras (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Nicaragua (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Panama (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) Cultivated; 100-200 m.
China China	Hong Kong	introduced cultivated	Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 39)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)	introduced cultivated	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Colombia	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Ecuador (Republic of) (continental)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Taiwan Taiwan Island	Taiwan Island	introduced cultivated	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) Cultivated; 100-200 m.
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 27)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Seychelles Islands	introduced	Invasive Species Specialist Group (2017)

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Comments:  Naturalized and sometimes exhibiting invasive behavior in French Polynesia; widely naturalized in Fiji. A "weed of national significance" in Australia.  In north Queensland, Australia, it forms dense monotypic stands which displace native vegetation. A weed species in Vietnam. (Csurhes & Edwards, 1998; p. 139).

Control: 

Physical:  Hand pull seedlings and saplings

Chemical:  Cut larger trees and treat the stumps with herbicide (Weber, 2003; p. 47).