Asimina longifolia

Shrubs, 1-1.5(-1.75) m. Shoots stiffly erect to arching or spreading, red-brown to yellow-brown, glabrous or glabrate. Leaves: petiole 2-4 mm. Leaf blade ascending-spreading, upswept, linear-elliptic to narrowly spatulate or linear-oblanceolate, 5-15(-20) cm, leathery, base broadly to narrowly cuneate or attenuate, margins obscurely to very revolute, apex acute to obtuse, rounded, or rarely notched; surfaces abaxially glabrate, raised-reticulate, adaxially glabrate. Inflorescences from axils along new shoots, solitary flowers; peduncle slender, 2-4 cm, glabrate; bracteoles 1-2, often suprabasal, lance-linear, to 10 mm, hairy. Flowers nodding, fragrant; perianth 3(-6)-merous; sepals elliptic to ovate, 0.5-1 cm, glabrescent; outer petals spreading, white or cream, rarely pink or striped with red or pink, elliptic, oblong, or obovate, 3-8 cm, abaxially glabrate; inner petals erect, maroon to cherry red or white, oblong to lanceolate, to 1/2 length of outer petals, base broad, saccate, corrugate zone adaxially purple, apex spreading; pistils 2-7(-12). Berries yellow-green, 4-10 cm. Seeds dark brown, lustrous, 1-2 cm. 2n=18.

Distribution

Subtropical North America.

Discussion

Subspecies 2 (2 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Asimina longifolia var. longifolia, Asimina longifolia var. spatulata

Key

1	Leaf blade linear-elliptic to linear-oblanceolate, apex acute to obtuse (rarely notched or rounded), broadest near middle, margins revolute; new growth mostly straight, ascending or nearly erect; foliage, flowers, and new shoots minutely tomentose when young; outer petals sparsely hairy abaxially; Florida, Georgia.	Asimina longifolia var. longifolia
1	Leaf blade linear-spatulate to spatulate, apex obtuse, rounded, or notched, rarely broadly acute, broadest distally, margins slightly revolute; new growth arching to almost decumbent; foliage, flowers, and new shoots glabrous or sparsely short-hairy when young; Florida, Georgia, Alabama.	Asimina longifolia var. spatulata