Trees, shrubs or climbers. Leaves simple, alternate, distichous, exstipulate, entire,
coriaceous, glossy above, glaucous beneath. Inflorescences axillary or extra-axillary,
leaf-opposed or cauliflorous, sympodial or the flowers solitary, or a few to many in
fascicles. Flowers bisexual or rarely unisexual, large or small, often scented, the parts
hypogynous. Perianth heterochlamydous. Sepals usually 3 (2 - 4), free or connate at base,
usually valvate, rarely calyptrate, sometimes persistent in fruit. Petals 6 (3 + 3), rarely
12, 8, 4, or 3, rarely the inner ones absent, valvate, rarely imbricate, usually free,
sometimes partly united at the bases or apices at young stage, variable in size and shape.
Stamens numerous, free, spirally arranged on the torus, rarely 3 or 6 and whorled,
hypogynous; filaments very short, inconspicuous and connectives conspicuous; anthers
usually adnate, sometimes basifixed, extrorse; locules concealed (Uvarioid type) or not
concealed (Miliusoid type) by the apically produced connectives. Carpels apocarpous,
spirally arranged, or whorled, numerous, sometimes few, unilocular, oblong, cylindric
or terete; ovules 1 to many, when many in 2 ventral or parietal placentas, anatropous,
crassinucellar; style present or absent; stigma usually capitate or grooved, sometimes
2-lobed or peltate. Torus usually convex, conical, dome-shaped or flat, sometimes
concave. Ripe carpels many, free (united syncarp only in Annona), globose, ellipsoid to
cylindric, sometimes moniliform and constricted between seeds, usually berries, rarely
capsules or follicles. Seeds 1 to many, in 1 - 2 rows; testa thin, crustaceous, shiny;
endosperm copious, ruminate, hard or fleshy; embryo minute or small, linear, straight;
cotyledons not broadened, undifferentiated.
Lowland evergreen tropical forests of America, Asia to Australia; ca 122 genera
and ca 1200 species, 24 genera and 120 species in India.
Literature.
HUTCHINSON, J. (1923) A contribution towards a phylogenetic classification of flowering plants. II. The genera of Annonaceae. Bull. Misc. Inf. Kew 1923: 241 - 261. KING, G. (1893) The Annonaceae of British India. Ann. R Bot. Gard. Calc. 4: 1 - 169, tt. 1 - 220. KOEK-NORMAN, J., L. Y. TH. WESTRA & P. J. M. MAAS (1990) Studies in Annonaceae. XIII, The role of morphological characters in subsequent classifications of Annonaceae: A comparative study. Taxon 39: 16 - 32. MITRA, DEBIKA (1982) Annonaceae: Tribe Uvarieae. In: Fasc. Fl. India 10: 1 - 21. SETTEN, A. K. van P. J. M. MAAS (1990) Studies in Annonaceae. XIV. Index to generic names of Annonaceae. Taxon 39: 675 - 690. SINCLAIR, J. (1955) A revision of the Malayan Annonaceae. Gard. Bull. Str. Settlem. ser. 3, 14(2): 149 R. F. (1974) A phylogenetic classification of the Annoniflorae. Aliso 8: 147 - 209. WALKER, J. W. - 516. THORNE, (1971) Pollen morphology, phytogeography and phylogeny of Annonaceae. Contrib. Gray Herb. No. 202: 1 - 130.
KEY TO THE TRIBES
1a. Ripe carpels united, forming many-loculed syncarpous fruits
2a. Anther-locules not concealed at top by overlapping connectives (stamens Miliusoid); sepals and outer petals not distinguishable (except in Alphonsea)
