Sugar Apple

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Sugar Apple

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Rollinia mucosa
• Annona obtusiflora
• Annona obtusifolia
• Annona muscosa
• Rollinia biflora
• Rollinia pulchrinervia
• Rollinia pterocarpa
• Rollinia sieberi
• Rollinia deliciosa
• Rollinia curvipetala
• Rollinia neglecta
• Rollinia orthopetala
• Rollinia jimenezii
• Rollinia permensis
• Rollinia micrantha
• Rollinia mucosa var. macropoda
• Rolliniopsis parviflora var. angustifolia
• Rollinia mucosa subsp. portoricensis
• Annona biflora
• Annona reticulata var. mucosa
• Annona pteropetala
• Rollinia jimenezii var. nelsonii
• Rollinia mucosa subsp. aequatorialis
• Rollinia mucosa var. neglecta

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Magnoliales, it is classified under the family Annonaceae. Finally, Annona mucosa is identified by its specific genus, Annona.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical presence spanning both Southeast Asia and North America. In the Indo-China region, its distribution includes the country of Thailand. Its reach extends significantly into Mexico, where it can be found throughout the central territories. Furthermore, the species is widely spread across the Mexican Gulf coast and the southwest regions. Finally, its habitat encompasses the southeast portions of Mexico as well.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Annona mucosa is characterized by its adaptability to diverse tropical forest environments, specifically thriving within both Floresta de Terra Firme and Floresta de Várzea habitats. This species exhibits a broad altitudinal distribution, spanning from sea level (0 m AMSL) up to a maximum elevation of 2000 m AMSL. Throughout its natural range, it maintains a mean elevation of approximately 650 m AMSL, reflecting its ability to inhabit both lowland floodplains and more elevated forest terrains.

Elevational range max:

2000 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

650 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Floresta de Terra Firme, Floresta de Várzea

Life history

The life history of Annona mucosa is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist in its environment through multiple growing seasons. Throughout its existence, it maintains an evergreen habit, retaining its foliage year-round rather than shedding leaves seasonally.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Annona mucosa is characterized by a woody growth form, specifically manifesting as a tree. This species is a terrestrial plant that functions independently, lacking any parasitic tendencies. In terms of its physical stature, it can reach a maximum plant height of 25 m, with an average height of approximately 12 m. Although it possesses a robust structure, its climbing habit is classified as self-supporting rather than being an obligatory or facultative climber. Furthermore, it is a non-epiphytic species, maintaining a strictly terrestrial existence.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

25 m

Plant height mean:

12 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Annona mucosa is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which involves the direct fixation of atmospheric carbon dioxide through the enzyme Rubisco during the Calvin cycle. Unlike plants utilizing C4 or CAM mechanisms, this species relies on the standard carbon assimilation process typical of many woody tropical angiosperms. Furthermore, in terms of its nutrient cycling capabilities, Annona mucosa is not a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the specialized symbiotic relationships with diazotrophic bacteria, such as Rhizobium, required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into bioavailable forms. Consequently, the plant depends on the uptake of mineral nitrogen, primarily in the form of nitrates or ammonium, from the soil substrate to support its metabolic processes and growth.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Annona mucosa is characterized by a seed dispersal strategy categorized as zoochorous, relying on animals for the distribution of its offspring. The seeds produced by this species exhibit consistent morphological properties, with a recorded seed mass that is uniform at both the minimum and maximum levels, specifically 0.16 g, resulting in a mean seed mass of 0.16 g. In terms of physical dimensions, the seeds vary in length, ranging from a minimum of 6 mm to a maximum of 15 mm.

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Seed length max:

15 mm

Seed length min:

6 mm

Seed mass mean:

0.16 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Annona mucosa has 3 reported plant parts identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, seed, fruit.

Leaf

1. Journal of natural products
2. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry
3. Phytochemistry
4. Zeitschrift fur Naturforschung. C, Journal of biosciences

Seed

1. Phytochemistry
2. Journal of natural products

Fruit

1. Journal of natural products

Chemicals

Annona mucosa has 85 reported phytochemicals identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include ACETOGENINS, Desacetyluvaricin, Squamone, (+)-Epieudesmine, 1,2-Disehydronorcoclaurine.

ACETOGENINS

1. Journal of natural products
2. Brazilian journal of microbiology : [publication of the Brazilian Society for Microbiology]

Desacetyluvaricin

1. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry
2. Journal of natural products

Squamone

1. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica
2. Journal of natural products

(+)-Epieudesmine

1. Zeitschrift fur Naturforschung. C, Journal of biosciences

1,2-Disehydronorcoclaurine

1. Dr. Duke

14-Hydroxy-25-desoxyrollinicin

1. Dr. Duke

Annomonicin

1. Journal of natural products

Annoreticuin-9-one

1. Journal of natural products

Anonaine

1. Dr. Duke

Ash

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Annona mucosa has 357 reported activities identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Analgesic, Anthelmintic, Antipyretic, Cytotoxic.

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. TheScientificWorldJournal
3. Chemistry & biodiversity

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of traditional and complementary medicine

Anthelmintic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of traditional and complementary medicine

Antipyretic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of traditional and complementary medicine

Cytotoxic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of natural products

5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Acidulant

1. Dr. Duke

Adrenergic

1. Dr. Duke

Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Allergenic

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Annona mucosa has 2 reported investigations on conditions identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Bacillus thuringiensis, Streptococcus pyogenes.

Bacillus thuringiensis

1. Brazilian journal of microbiology : [publication of the Brazilian Society for Microbiology]

Streptococcus pyogenes

1. Brazilian journal of microbiology : [publication of the Brazilian Society for Microbiology]

Preparations

Annona mucosa has 9 reported preparations identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include CHCl(3)-MeOH (1:1) extract, Crude ethanolic extracts, aqueous methanol fraction of the leaves, crude methanol-soluble fraction, ethanolic extract of the leaves.

Chcl(3)-meoh (1:1) extract

1. Journal of natural products

Crude ethanolic extracts

1. Medicines (Basel, Switzerland)

Aqueous methanol fraction of the leaves

1. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry

Crude methanol-soluble fraction

1. Journal of natural products

Ethanolic extract of the leaves

1. Phytochemistry

Ethanolic extracts of the leaves

1. Journal of natural products

Ethyl acetate extract

1. Journal of natural products

Ethyl acetate extract of seeds of annona reticulata

1. Phytochemistry

Leaves

1. Zeitschrift fur Naturforschung. C, Journal of biosciences