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Annona squamosa L., Sp. Pl. 537 1753. (Syn: Annona asiatica L.; Annona asiatica Vahl; Annona cinerea Dunal; Annona distincta Raeusch.; Annona forskahlii DC.; Annona forsskalii DC.; Annona glabra Forssk.; Annona squamosa Delile ; Guanabanus squamosus M. Gómez; Xylopia frutescens Sieb. ex Presl; Xylopia glabra L.);
.
uh-NO-nuh — Latinized form of the American Indian taino, vernacular name for cherimoya … Dave’s Botanary
skwa-MO-suh — scaly … Dave’s Botanary commonly known as: custard apple, sugar apple, sweetsop • Angika: सरीफा sarifa • Arabic: شريفه sharifa • Assamese: আতা-কঁঠাল ata kothal, আতা-ফল ata-phol, আঠে-ফল athe-phol, আতলচ atlos • Bengali: আতা ata • Gujarati: સીતાફળ sitaphal • Hajong: আতা-ফল ata-phol • Haryanvi: शरीफा sharifa • Hindi: आता ata, बहुवीज bahu-vij, मुक्ताफल muktaphal, शरीफ़ा sharifa, सीताफल sitaphal • Kachchhi: સીતાફળ sitaphal • Kannada: ಅಮೃತಫಲ amrutaphala, ಸೀತಾಫಲ seetaphala • Kokborok: আতা ata • Kol: मंडल mandal, नेनवा nenwa • Konkani: आत aat, ಅಂದಣಿರೂಕು andaniruku, सिताफळ sitaphal • Lodhi: बोरोर-दारू boror-daru • Magadhi: सरीफा sarifa • Maithili: शरिफा sharifa • Malayalam: ആത്തച്ചക്ക aathachakka, സീതപ്പഴം seethapazham • Manipuri: ꯑꯥꯇꯥꯐꯜ ataphal • Marathi: आत ata, मुक्ताफल muktaphala, सीताफळ sitaphal • Mizo: thei chini, theiarbawn • Nepali: आँट् aant, सरिफा sariphaa • Odia: ଅମୃତଫଳ amrutaphala, ଆତ ata, ବହୁବୀଜ bahubija, ଲବନୀ labani, ମେଘୁଆ meghua, ମୁକ୍ତା ଫଳ mukta phaḻa, ସିତା ଫଳ sita phala • Pahari: शीतलफल sheetalphal • Persian: شريفه sharifa • Punjabi: ਸ਼ਰੀਫਾ sharifa, ਸੀਤਾ ਫਲ sita phal • Rajasthani: इन्दूरा indura, सीताफल sitaphal • Sanskrit: आतृप्यम् atrupyum, बहुबीजम् bahubijam, मुक्ताफलम् muktaphalam, सीताफलम् sitaphalam • Santali: ᱢᱟᱱᱫᱟᱨᱜᱚᱢ mandargom, ᱢᱚᱱᱰᱟᱞ mondal, ᱱᱮᱣᱟ newa, ᱥᱟᱨᱯᱷᱟ sarpha • Sindhi: سيتاڦَلُ sitaphalu • Tamil: ஆத்தா atta, சீத்தா citta, சீத்தாப்பழம் seethapazham • Telugu: గండ గాత్రము ganda gaathramu, సీతపండు seethapandu, సీతాఫలం seethaphalamu • Tulu: ಅಮ್ರತಕಾಯಿ amrutakaayi, ಶೀತಾಫಲ shitaphala • Urdu: آتا ata, بہوبیج bahu-beej, مکتاپھل muktaphal, سیتاپھل sitaphal
Names compiled / updated at https://dineshvalke.blogspot. .
Distribution: widely cultivated in tropics; probable origin West Indies ..
      Annonaceae (custard apple, sugar apple, or soursop family) » Annona squamosa
Synonym: Annona asiatica … Annona is often found misspelled as Anona uh-NO-nuh — Latinized form of the American Indian taino, vernacular name for cherimoya skwa-MO-suh — scaly commonly known as: custard apple (in India), sugar apple, sweetsop • Assamese: আতলচ-কঁঠাল aatloch kothal • Bengali: আতা ata, শরিকা shorifa • Gujarati: સીતાફળ sitaphal • Hindi: आत, आता or अता ata, बहुवीज bahu-vij, मुक्ताफल muktaphal, सीताफल sitaphal • Kannada: ಸೀತಾಫಲ seetaphala • Konkani: सीताफल siitaaphala • Malayalam: ശീടാഫലം seethapazham • Manipuri: সীতাফল sitaphal • Marathi: आत ata, मुक्ताफल muktaphala, शिताफळ or सिताफळ sitaphala • Nepali: आँट् aunt • Oriya: sitaphalo • Persian: شريفه sharifa • Punjabi: ਸ਼ਰੀਫਾ sharifa, ਸੀਤਾ ਫਲ sita phal • Sanskrit: आतृप्यम् atrupyum, बहुबीजम् bahubijam, मुक्ताफलम् muktaphalam, सीताफलम् sitaphalam • Tamil: ஆத்தா atta, சீத்தா citta • Telugu: సీతాఫలము sita-phalamu • Urdu: آتا ata, شريفه sharifa Distribution: widely cultivated in tropics; probable origin West Indies Edible use: … ripe fruit
some facts:
… the most widely grown of all the species of Annona
… widely grown in El Salvador, India, Pakistan and the Philippines. … the original home of the sugar apple is unknown … the species was described from Jamaica. Quoted from: Wikipedia <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar-apple> • Purdue University <http://www.hort.purdue.edu/sugar_apple.html> Annona reticulata and Annona squamosa mixed up: … world-over, A. squamosa is known as sugar-apple (or sweetsop) and A. reticulata as custard-apple
… in India, A. squamosa is popularly known as custard-apple (the name sugar-apple is not known to many), in Australia too, well known as Custard Apple
Fruits & Vegetables Week: Annona squamosa from Delhi:
Annona squamosa L. (syn: A. asiatica L.) from Delhi, less commonly cultivated in Delhi Common names: custard-apple, sugar-apple, sweetsop Hindi: Sharifa, Seetaphal
efloraofindia:”Id 03092011MR2’’ custard apple Pune:
Flora of Madhya Pradesh: Annona squamosa from Narsinghpur (MP):         Fruit Trees of Bangalore – RA – Annona Squamosa – Custard Apple Tree – Sitaphal:
A small tropical tree, indigenous to the Amazon rainforest, growing up to 20′ tall. The leaves are thin, oblong while the flowers are greenish – yellow.
Flowers are oblong, 1 to 1 1/2 in long, never fully open, with 1 in long, drooping stalks, and 3 fleshy outer petals, yellow-green on the outside and pale-yellow inside with a purple or dark-red spot at the base.
The avoid or conical fruit, with a purple knobby skin, is very sweet and is eaten fresh or can be used for shakes. The fruit is juicy and creamy – white; it may contain up to 40 black seeds. These seeds are poisonous.
From delicious fruits of Sitaphal, jelly, jam, conserves, sharbets, syrup, tart and fermented drinks are prepared. The peelings and pulps contain oil that is useful in flavouring.
Dilleniaceae, Magnoliaceae and Annonaceae Fortnight :: Annonaceae » Annona squamosa in Thane :: DVMAR02 : 5 posts by 3 authors.
Annona squamosa L. Kya baat hai, khane ko dil karta hai… Thanks … for sharing this sweet & tasty fruit..
Dilleniaceae, Magnoliaceae and Annonaceae Fortnight :: Annonaceae » Annona squamosa at Dhule : PKA-March-21:: : 2 posts by 2 authors. Attachments (1).
Sitaphal (Annona squamosa) from Dhule. . Dilleniaceae, Magnoliaceae and Annonaceae Fortnight: Annonaceae- Annona squamosa from Delhi-GSMAR12 : 1 post by 1 author. Attachments (4).
Dilleniaceae, Magnoliaceae and Annonaceae Fortnight: – Annona squamosa from Panipat-NS March 04 : 4 posts by 3 authors. Attachments (4).
This is a small tree, cultivated in a few gardens or house-yards..
I think this is Annona squamosa, the “Sitaphal” or “Shrifa“..words for correction are requested.. Shot from Panipat and Kurukshetra.. Very good photographs … Thank you very much Sir for nice words…
Dilleniaceae, Magnoliaceae and Annonaceae Fortnight : Annonaceae ::Annona squamosa :: SMP08 : 3 images. 3 posts by 3 authors.
Annona squamosa सिताफळ Pune.
Dilleniaceae, Magnoliaceae and Annonaceae Fortnight Annona squamosa. BRS 2 : Attachments (1)- 1 MB. 1 post by 1 author.
Sharing the images of Annona squamosa
Dilleniaceae, Magnoliaceae and Annonaceae Fortnight : Annona squamosa : Nasik : 140314 : AK-17 : Attachments (3). 2 posts by 2 authors.
Annona squamosa, commonly known as Custard Apple from our home garden.
                
Custard apple – efloraofindia | Google Groups . Annona squamosa L.: 5 very high res. images Location: Surkhet, West Nepal
Date: 29 August 2021
Altitude: 562 m.
Habit : Cultivated . Annona squamosa L. :: Waghbil, Thane, Maharashtra :: Jun 6, 2009 · JUN23 DV32: 2 images. Annona squamosa L.
Waghbil, Thane, Maharashtra :: Jun 6, 2009 · 6:49 AM IST :: about 3 m (10 ft) asl
Earlier uploaded at efloraofindia. . Annonaceae: Annona squamosa L.: 2 images.
location/date (both): Barha, Jabalpur Distr., Madhya Pradesh, October 1994 . Names of Plants in India :: Annona squamosa L.: 1 image.
Annona squamosa L. uh-NO-nuh — Latinized form of the American Indian taino, vernacular name for cherimoya … Dave’s Botanary
skwa-MO-suh — scaly … Dave’s Botanary commonly known as: custard apple, sugar apple, sweetsop • Angika: सरीफा sarifa • Arabic: شريفه sharifa • Assamese: আতা-কঁঠাল ata kothal, আতা-ফল ata-phol, আঠে-ফল athe-phol, আতলচ atlos • Bengali: আতা ata • Gujarati: સીતાફળ sitaphal • Hajong: আতা-ফল ata-phol • Haryanvi: शरीफा sharifa • Hindi: आता ata, बहुवीज bahu-vij, मुक्ताफल muktaphal, शरीफ़ा sharifa, सीताफल sitaphal • Kachchhi: સીતાફળ sitaphal • Kannada: ಅಮೃತಫಲ amrutaphala, ಸೀತಾಫಲ seetaphala • Kokborok: আতা ata • Kol: मंडल mandal, नेनवा nenwa • Konkani: आत aat, ಅಂದಣಿರೂಕು andaniruku, सिताफळ sitaphal • Lodhi: बोरोर-दारू boror-daru • Magadhi: सरीफा sarifa • Maithili: शरिफा sharifa • Malayalam: ആത്തച്ചക്ക aathachakka, സീതപ്പഴം seethapazham • Manipuri: ꯑꯥꯇꯥꯐꯜ ataphal • Marathi: आत ata, मुक्ताफल muktaphala, सीताफळ sitaphal • Mizo: thei chini, theiarbawn • Nepali: आँट् aant, सरिफा sariphaa • Odia: ଅମୃତଫଳ amrutaphala, ଆତ ata, ବହୁବୀଜ bahubija, ଲବନୀ labani, ମେଘୁଆ meghua, ମୁକ୍ତା ଫଳ mukta phaḻa, ସିତା ଫଳ sita phala • Pahari: शीतलफल sheetalphal • Persian: شريفه sharifa • Punjabi: ਸ਼ਰੀਫਾ sharifa, ਸੀਤਾ ਫਲ sita phal • Rajasthani: इन्दूरा indura, सीताफल sitaphal • Sanskrit: आतृप्यम् atrupyum, बहुबीजम् bahubijam, मुक्ताफलम् muktaphalam, सीताफलम् sitaphalam • Santali: ᱢᱟᱱᱫᱟᱨᱜᱚᱢ mandargom, ᱢᱚᱱᱰᱟᱞ mondal, ᱱᱮᱣᱟ newa, ᱥᱟᱨᱯᱷᱟ sarpha • Sindhi: سيتاڦَلُ sitaphalu • Tamil: ஆத்தா atta, சீத்தா citta, சீத்தாப்பழம் seethapazham • Telugu: గండ గాత్రము ganda gaathramu, సీతపండు seethapandu, సీతాఫలం seethaphalamu • Tulu: ಅಮ್ರತಕಾಯಿ amrutakaayi, ಶೀತಾಫಲ shitaphala • Urdu: آتا ata, بہوبیج bahu-beej, مکتاپھل muktaphal, سیتاپھل sitaphal
botanical names: Annona squamosa L. … heterotypic synonyms listed in POWO, retrieved 15 May 2026 The Tug-of-Name: Annona versus Anona … compiled from web
The genus name for the custard apple is frequently spelled with a single “n” as Anona, rather than the modern Annona. This minor spelling difference actually points to a massive, centuries-long “tug-of-name” between traditional botanists and the father of modern taxonomy himself, Carl Linnaeus.
Originally, Spanish explorers in the Caribbean adopted the local Hispaniolan Taíno indigenous word for the fruit: anón. Early naturalists simply latinized this directly into Anona. For decades, European scientists kept this spelling to honor the fruit’s true geographic home. Linnaeus notoriously disliked using non-classical, indigenous words for scientific names. When he formalized the plant’s classification, he deliberately added a second “n”, transforming it into Annona. For nearly two centuries, a linguistic tug-of-war played out in global botanical literature. The modern international botanical codes finally stepped in, standardising the spelling to Linnaeus’s Annona for global consistency.
Bibliography / etymology / notes
Links listed as references in the notes below, may not remain valid permanently. Portals / websites have a tendency to re-organize / revise their content, leading to change in URLs of pages in their site. Some sites may even close down at their own will. The bits about the languages of India mentioned below are merely some bare facts gathered from the internet; just enough to satisfy curiosity about “where” could the listed names be best prevalent in India. All English transliterated names to be taken sensu amplo. ~~~~~ ENGLISH ~~~~~
written and spoken widely, in most parts of India
custard apple
sugar apple
sweetsop
~~~~~ ANGIKA ~~~~~
written in: historically Anga Lipi, later Kaithi, presently Devanagari (अंगिका) … spoken in: Bihar, Jharkhand … other names for this language: Anga, Angikar, Chhika-Chhiki
सरीफा sarifa
~~~~~ ARABIC ~~~~~
written in: Arabic (عَرَبِيّ) … spoken in: various states of India … Wikipedia
شريفه sharifa
~~~~~ ASSAMESE ~~~~~
written in: Assamese (অসমীয়া) … spoken in: Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya
আতা-কঁঠাল ata kothal
আতা-ফল ata-phol, আঠে-ফল athe-phol, আতলচ atloch
~~~~~ BENGALI ~~~~~
written in: Bengali (বাংলা) … spoken in: West Bengal, Assam, Jharkhand, Tripura, Andaman & Nicobar Islands
আতা ata
~~~~~ GUJARATI ~~~~~
written in: Gujarati (ગુજરાતી) … spoken in: Gujarat, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu
સીતાફળ sitaphal
~~~~~ HAJONG ~~~~~
written in: Bengali-Assamese (হাজং), Latin … spoken in: Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, and West Bengal
আতা-ফল ata-phol
~~~~~ HARYANVI ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari (हरियाणवी or हरयाणवी) … spoken in: Haryana, Delhi
शरीफा sharifa
~~~~~ HINDI ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari (हिन्दी) … spoken in: Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand
आता ata (or अता ata or आत at), बहुवीज bahu-vij, मुक्ताफल muktaphal, सीताफल sitaphal
शरीफ़ा sharifa
~~~~~ KACHCHHI ~~~~~
written in: Gujarati (કચ્છી), Sindhi (ڪڇّي) … spoken in: Kutch region of Gujarat
સીતાફળ sitaphal
~~~~~ KANNADA ~~~~~
written in: Kannada (ಕನ್ನಡ) … spoken in: Karnataka
ಅಮೃತಫಲ amrutaphala, ಸೀತಾಫಲ seetaphala
~~~~~ KOKBOROK ~~~~~
written in: Koloma, Latin, Bengali–Assamese (ককবরক), Kokmari … spoken in: Tripura … other names for this language: Tripuri, Kokbarak, Tippera, Tipra, Trippera
আতা ata
~~~~~ KOL ~~~~~
written in: Warang Chiti (or Barang Kshiti, Varang Kshiti), Devanagari … spoken in: Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal … spoken by: Kol people
मंडल mandal, नेनवा nenwa
~~~~~ KONKANI ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari (कोंकणी) / Kannada (ಕೊಂಕಣಿ) / Malayalam (കൊങ്കണി) / Perso-Arabic (کونکنی) / Romi (Konknni) … spoken in: Goa, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala, Gujarat
आत aat
ಅಂದಣಿರೂಕು andaniruku
सिताफळ sitaphal
~~~~~ LODHI ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari … spoken in: Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand … spoken by: Lodha people
बोरोर-दारू boror-daru
~~~~~ MAGADHI ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari, Kaithi … spoken in: Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal … the colloquial, everyday name used by native speakers living in Bihar is strictly Magahi.
सरीफा sarifa
~~~~~ MAITHILI ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari (मैथिली) … spoken in: Bihar, Jharkhand
शरिफा sharifa
~~~~~ MALAYALAM ~~~~~
written in: Malayalam (മലയാളം) … spoken in: Kerala, Lakshadweep
ആത്തച്ചക്ക aathachakka
സീതപ്പഴം seethapazham
~~~~~ MANIPURI ~~~~~
written in: Meiteilon (ꯃꯩꯇꯩꯂꯣꯟ), Bengali-Assamese … spoken in: Manipur … other names for this language: Meetei
ꯑꯥꯇꯥꯐꯜ ataphal
~~~~~ MARATHI ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari (मराठी) … spoken in: Maharashtra, Karnataka
आत ata, मुक्ताफल muktaphala, सीताफळ sitaphal (or सिताफळ sitaphal or शिताफळ shitaphal)
~~~~~ MIZO ~~~~~
written in: Latin, Bengali-Assamese … spoken in: Mizoram … other names for this language: Lushai, Duhlian
thei chini
theiarbawn
~~~~~ NEPALI ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari (नेपाली) … spoken in: Nepal, West Bengal, Assam, Sikkim
आँट् aant, सरिफा sariphaa
~~~~~ ODIA ~~~~~
written in: Odia (ଓଡ଼ିଆ) … spoken in: Odisha, Andaman & Nicobar Islands
ଅମୃତଫଳ amrutaphala, ଆତ ata, ବହୁବୀଜ bahubija, ଲବନୀ labani, ମେଘୁଆ meghua, ମୁକ୍ତା ଫଳ mukta phaḻa, ସିତା ଫଳ sita phala
~~~~~ PAHARI (or PAHADI) ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari (पहाड़ी), Perso-Arabic (پہاڑی) … variety of languages, dialects and language groups, spoken in Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand
शीतलफल sheetalphal
~~~~~ PERSIAN ~~~~~
written in: Farsi (فارسی) … almost a defunct language; spoken in: West Bengal, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Bihar
شريفه sharifa
~~~~~ PUNJABI ~~~~~
written in: Gurmukhi (ਪੰਜਾਬੀ) … spoken in: Punjab
ਸ਼ਰੀਫਾ sharifa, ਸੀਤਾ ਫਲ sita phal
~~~~~ RAJASTHANI ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari (राजस्थानी) … spoken in: Rajasthan
इन्दूरा indura
सीताफल sitaphal
~~~~~ SANSKRIT ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari (संस्कृतम्) … used all over India by priests and scholars
आतृप्यम् atrupyum, बहुबीजम् bahubijam, मुक्ताफलम् muktaphalam, सीताफलम् sitaphalam
~~~~~ SANTALI ~~~~~
written in: Ol Chiki (ᱥᱟᱱᱛᱟᱲᱤ), Bengali (সাঁওতালী), Odia (ସାନ୍ତାଳୀ), Devanagari (सान्ताली), Roman … spoken in: Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha
ᱢᱟᱱᱫᱟᱨᱜᱚᱢ mandargom
ᱢᱚᱱᱰᱟᱞ mondal, ᱱᱮᱣᱟ newa
ᱥᱟᱨᱯᱷᱟ sarpha
~~~~~ SINDHI ~~~~~
written in: Perso-Arabic (سِنڌِي), Gujarati (સિંધી), Devanagari (सिन्धी) … spoken in: Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan
سيتاڦَلُ sitaphalu
~~~~~ TAMIL ~~~~~
written in: Tamil (தமிழ்) … spoken in: Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andaman & Nicobar Islands
ஆத்தா atta, சீத்தா citta
சீத்தாப்பழம் seethapazham
~~~~~ TELUGU ~~~~~
written in: Telugu ( తెలుగు) … spoken in: Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Puducherry
గండ గాత్రము ganda gaathramu, సీతపండు seethapandu, సీతాఫలం seethaphalamu
~~~~~ TULU ~~~~~
written in: Tigalari (Tulu) was used for writing Vedic texts in Sanskrit, Kannada (ತುಳು), Malayalam (തുളു) … spoken in: Karnataka, north Kerala
ಅಮ್ರತಕಾಯಿ amrutakaayi, ಶೀತಾಫಲ shitaphala
~~~~~ URDU ~~~~~
written in: Urdu (اردو) … spoken in: Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Bihar, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka
آتا ata (or آت at), بہوبیج bahu-beej, مکتاپھل muktaphal, سیتاپھل sitaphal
~~~~~ KNOWN DISTRIBUTION in INDIA ~~~~~
introduced, widely cultivated, naturalised (in pockets): Andaman & Nicobar islands, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Delhi, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep islands, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal
~~~~~ Created on: 20:06 15-05-2026 ¦ Last updated: 21:27 17-05-2026 (DD-MM-YYYY) ~~~~~
Names compiled / updated at https://dineshvalke.blogspot.com/2026/05/annona-squamosa-l.html both Malayalam and English names are correct. . References:
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Annona squamosa
Updated on June 13, 2026