''Asimina reticulata'', the netted pawpaw, is a species of

plant Plants are predominantly Photosynthesis, photosynthetic eukaryotes of the Kingdom (biology), kingdom Plantae. Historically, the plant kingdom encompassed all living things that were not animals, and included algae and fungi; however, all curr ...

in the family

Annonaceae The Annonaceae are a family of flowering plants consisting of trees, shrubs, or rarely lianas commonly known as the custard apple family or soursop family. With 108 accepted genera and about 2400 known species, it is the largest family in the M ...

. It is native to

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, a ...

in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...

Description

It is a bush reaching 1.5 meters in height. It has a deep, spindle-shaped

taproot A taproot is a large, central, and dominant root from which other roots sprout laterally. Typically a taproot is somewhat straight and very thick, is tapering in shape, and grows directly downward. In some plants, such as the carrot, the taproo ...

from which 1 to several shoots emerge. The shoot bark changes color with age beginning as tan or rust-colored, transitioning to brown or gray-brown and becoming gray. Its leathery, oblong leaves are 5-8 centimeters long with tips that are pointed, rounded or slightly notched. The margin of the leaves are rolled under. The young leaves have sparse orange hairs on their upper surfaces and dense orange hair and their lower surfaces. The mature leaves are hairless and pale green on their upper surface and much paler and sparsely hairy on their lower surface. Its petioles are 2-6 millimeters long. It has 1-3 flowers per

node In general, a node is a localized swelling (a "knot") or a point of intersection (a vertex). Node may refer to: In mathematics * Vertex (graph theory), a vertex in a mathematical graph * Vertex (geometry), a point where two or more curves, line ...

on 2-3.5 centimeter long

pedicels In botany, a pedicel is a stem that attaches a single flower to the inflorescence. Such inflorescences are described as ''pedicellate''. Description Pedicel refers to a structure connecting a single flower to its inflorescence. In the absenc ...

that emerge from the

axils A leaf ( : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, ste ...

of leaf scars. The Pedicels are covered in orange hairs. Its flowers are fragrant and have a nodding habit. Its flowers have 3 (sometimes 4) triangular

sepal A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 The term ''sepalum'' was coined ...

s that are 8-10 millimeters long. The sepals have red hairs on their outer surface and are hairless on their inner surface. Its flowers have 6 petals in two rows of 3. The oval, white, outer petals are 3-7 centimeters long with wavy margins. The outer petals have orange hairs on their outer surfaces and are hairless on their inner surfaces. The fleshy inner petals are 1-3.5 centimeters, shaped like narrow triangles, rolled back on their outer surface, and have swollen bases deeply wrinkled and purple on their inner surface. The

stamen The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filam ...

s form a pale green or pink androecium 0.5 centimeters in diameter. Its flowers have 3-8 spindle-shaped

carpels Gynoecium (; ) is most commonly used as a collective term for the parts of a flower that produce ovules and ultimately develop into the fruit and seeds. The gynoecium is the innermost whorl of a flower; it consists of (one or more) ''pistils'' ...

that are covered in orange hairs. Its irregularly-shaped, yellow-green, hairless fruit are 4-7 centimeters long. Its brown, shiny seeds are 1-2 centimeters long and arranged in two irregular rows.

Reproductive biology

The pollen of ''Asimina reticulata'' is shed as permanent tetrads. It is pollinated by the dark flower scarab beetle ''

Euphoria sepulcralis ''Euphoria sepulcralis'', the dark flower scarab, is a species of scarab beetle in the subfamily Cetoniinae. It is long and is brown in color. It is found in North America in countries such as Mexico and southern and Central United States ...

'' and the hairy flower scarab beetle ''

Trichiotinus rufobrunneus ''Trichiotinus rufobrunneus'' is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. References Further reading * Cetoniinae Articles created by Qbugbot Beetles described in 1914 {{Cetoniinae-stub ...

''.

Habitat and distribution

It has been observed growing in moist, poorly drained sand in piney flatwoods and coastal dune scrub habitats.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q15399733 reticulata Flora of Florida Taxa named by Alvan Wentworth Chapman