Asimina reticulata
| Asimina reticulata | |
|---|---|
| |
| Photo by Wayne Matchett, SpaceCoastWildflowers.com | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Division: | Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants |
| Class: | Magnoliopsida - Dicotyledons |
| Order: | Magnoliales |
| Family: | Annonaceae |
| Genus: | Asimina |
| Species: | A. reticulata |
| Binomial name | |
| Asimina reticulata Shuttlw. ex Chapm. | |
| |
| Natural range of Asimina reticulata from USDA NRCS Plants Database. | |
Common Name: Netted Pawpaw
Contents
Taxonomic notes
Synonyms: Pityothamnus reticulatus (Shuttleworth ex Chapman) Small; Asimina cuneata Shuttleworth ex A. Gray
Description
A description of Asimina reticulata is provided in The Flora of North America.
Asimina reticulata is a long-lived perennial that reaches 2-4 feet in height [1]. Leaves are simple and alternate [2] with net like veins [3]. It has a rusty orange pubescent (Kral 1960).
Ecology
Habitat
Asimina reticulata occurs in poorly drained sands of areas such as slash pine and longleaf pine-saw palmetto flatwoods, and is often abundant enough to be classified as an understory dominant (Kral 1960). Associated species include Quercus, Pinus, Serenoa repens, Lyonia lucida, L. ferruginea, and Befaria racemosa (FSU Herbarium; Kral 1960). It has been observed to grow in full sun to partial shade [4].
The range of A. reticulata and A. speciosa overlaps in the northern Florida peninsula, however they tend to occur in different habitats. A. reticulata is found in poorly drained low pinelands while A. speciosa is found on longleaf pine-turkey oak ridges in well drained sand (Kral 1960).
Phenology
It blooms January through December[2]. Flower buds develop as an axillary growth on the new shoot growth of one season and flower the following spring after overwintering (Kral 1960). The hairy, ovoid buds develop as axillary growths on the new shoot growth and flower the following spring (Kral 1960).
Fire ecology
Following a disturbance such as fire or cutting, A. reticulata will immediately respond by putting up several leafy shoots with forming flower buds that will not open until the following growing season (Kral 1960).
Pollination
The following Hymenoptera families and species were observed visiting flowers of Asimina reticulata at Archbold Biological Station (Deyrup 2015):
Halictidae: Lasioglossum nymphalis
Megachilidae: Megachile brevis pseudobrevis
Vespidae: Polistes dorsalis hunteri
Diseases and parasites
A. reticulata is at risk to develop leaf blotch and eye spot [5].
References and notes
Deyrup, M.A. 2015. Database of observations of Hymenoptera visitations to flowers of plants on Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA.
Florida State University Robert K. Godfrey Herbarium database. URL: http://herbarium.bio.fsu.edu. Last accessed: October 2015. Collectors: K.M. Meyer, A. Townesmith. States and Counties: Florida: Marion. Compiled by Tall Timbers Research Station and Land Conservancy.
Kral, Robert. 1960. A Revision of Asimina and Deeringothamnus (Annonaceae). Brittonia 12:233-278.
