Obreticulate Pawpaw (Asimina ×oboreticulata)

Silhouette: T. Michael Keesey / License

Asimina ×oboreticulata: Hybrid Pawpaw of Florida Scrublands

Arising from the natural cross-pollination of two distinct Florida pawpaws, Asimina ×oboreticulata populates sand pine scrubs and sandhill habitats.

It inherits distinct leaf and flower traits from both parents, creating a stable hybrid form in overlapping territories.

Botanists study this hybrid to map genetic gene flow between the parent species.

Taxonomy

∟ царство Plantae
∟ division Tracheophytes (Vascular Plants)
∟ subdivision Spermatophytes (Seed plants)
∟ Angiosperms
∟ magnoliids
∟ order Magnoliales
∟ family Annonaceae (Custard apple family)
∟ subfamily Annonoideae
∟ genus Asimina (Pawpaw)
∟ species Asimina ×oboreticulata (Obreticulate Pawpaw)

Morphology

The leaves and stems of this hybrid exhibit features combining parent profiles.

Venation: Prominently reticulate vein patterns on the leaf underside, inherited from Asimina reticulata.
Leaf size: Larger and broader than Asimina reticulata, leaning towards Asimina obovata.
Petals: Medium-sized, creamy white, held on slender pedicels.

Flowering season

Spring

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Name

Dec

Applications

This wild hybrid is not cultivated for agricultural or ornamental purposes.

Its significance is scientific, aiding in the study of hybrid zones and genetic integrity within the genus.

Interesting facts

The hybrid name directly combines the specific epithets of its two parent species, highlighting its mixed heritage.

It can often be found growing in the immediate vicinity of both parental species, demonstrating how insects cross-pollinate them in the wild.

Geography of distribution

Florida, United States

Sources

Plants of the World Online (POWO): Distribution and hybrid status of Asimina ×oboreticulata.
World Flora Online (WFO): Global checklist database entry.
IPNI: Naming reference and publication bibliography.