Deeringothamnus pulchellus

Small

Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 51: 390. 1924.

Common names: Beautiful pawpaw
Conservation concernEndemicIllustrated
Synonyms: Asimina pulchella (Small) Rehder & Dayton
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 3.

Leaves: petiole 2-4 mm. Leaf blade spreading-ascending, mostly elevated above shoots, oblong to oblong-ovate or spatulate, 4-7 cm, base cuneate to narrowly rounded, margins narrowly revolute, apex obtuse to broadly rounded, often notched. Inflorescences: peduncle slender, 1-3cm. Flowers nodding to ascending, white to pale pink, sweetly fragrant; sepals 2-4, erect, ovate-triangular, ca. 5 mm; petals 6-12(-15), ascending to apically recurved, linear or narrowly oblong, 2-3 cm × ca. 2 mm; pistils (1-)5(-7). Berries 4-7cm. Seeds 1-1.5 cm, slightly flattened laterally.


Phenology: Flowering late winter–spring, all year on disturbance.
Habitat: Sandy peats of slash pine-palmetto flats, savannas
Elevation: 0-50 m

Discussion

Of conservation concern.

Deeringothamnus pulchellus commonly associates with Asimina reticulata and overlaps with that species in flowering times; no hybrids between them have been observed. When protected from fire, the elongate and branching shoots of D. pulchellus and D. rugelii will persist, but such new growth rarely produces flowers. A conservation measure for such species must involve periodic burning.

Lower Taxa

None.
Robert Kral +
Beautiful pawpaw +
0-50 m +
Sandy peats of slash pine-palmetto flats, savannas +
Flowering late winter–spring, all year on disturbance. +
Bull. Torrey Bot. Club +
rehder1944b +  and small1926a +
Conservation concern +, Endemic +  and Illustrated +
Asimina pulchella +
Deeringothamnus pulchellus +
Deeringothamnus +
species +