Flora of New Zealand Series

cherimoya

Evergreen or semi-deciduous, hairy shrub to c. 4 m high, forming large thickets by suckering. Bark tough and fibrous. Shoots tomentose. Petiole 5-15 mm long. Lamina (3)-6-21-(26) × (1.5)-3-12-(18) cm, ovate-elliptic, elliptic, or obovate, glaucous and densely hairy beneath, becoming sparingly so above; base broadly cuneate; apex rounded to obtuse. Fls usually solitary, sometimes 2 together, opposite upper lf axils. Pedicels 6-10 mm long, brown-tomentose. Calyx 2-3 mm long; lobes brown-tomentose. Outer 3 petals c. 2.5 × 0.8 cm, thick, fleshy, green, tomentulose outside; inner 3 petals minute. Filaments very short; connectives densely silky hairy. Carpels brown-tomentose. Fr. ± segmented, broadly ovate-cordate, c. 8 cm diam.

K.: Raoul Id.

N. Andes 1977

Forming large thickets from original planted stock in old orchards.

FL Dec-Feb.

Cherimoya is cultivated in warmer parts of the North Id, especially in the Bay of Plenty. Frs form regularly in the North Id but apparently never form on Raoul.