Asimina pulchella (Small)Rehder & Dayton

PRETTY FALSE PAWPAW; ROYAL FALSE PAWPAW; WHITE SQUIRREL-BANANA

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DNA data have found Deeringothamnus embedded within Asimina (Mercer et al. 2016; Li et al. 2017), causing this species to move back to Asimina, as Rehder & Dayton (1944) had preferred. Compared to A. rugelii, this species has thinner and less fleshy sepals and petals, white petals that become recurved, anthers with a tongue-like extension of the connective, lacking lignified parenchymas in pedicels, reduced 1-trace cortical vascular system in the petals, and lack of fusion between whorls in the receptacle. Sterile hybrids with A. reticulata have been noted. Interbreeding with A. rugelii is not known to occur (Norman 2003; Deroin & Norman 2016).

Native Rare-State Endangered-US FAC (NWPL)

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