Netted pawpaw facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Netted pawpaw
Photograph of Asimina reticulata
Scientific classification
Genus:	Asimina
Species:	reticulata
Synonyms
Pityothamnus reticulatus (Shuttlew. ex Chapm.) Small

Asimina reticulata, also known as the netted pawpaw, is a special type of plant. It belongs to the Annonaceae family. This family includes many tropical trees and shrubs. You can find this plant growing naturally only in Florida, United States.

What the Netted Pawpaw Looks Like

This plant is usually a small bush. It grows up to about 1.5 meters (5 feet) tall. It has a deep, strong root called a taproot. This root helps the plant get water from deep underground. One or more stems grow from this root.

The bark on the stems changes color as the plant gets older. When it's young, the bark is tan or rust-colored. Later, it turns brown or gray-brown. Finally, it becomes gray.

Its leaves are tough and feel like leather. They are about 5 to 8 centimeters (2-3 inches) long. The tips of the leaves can be pointed, rounded, or slightly notched. The edges of the leaves are often rolled under.

Young leaves have soft orange hairs. These hairs are sparse on the top side. They are dense on the bottom side. As the leaves grow, they become smooth on top. They turn a pale green color. The bottom side becomes much paler. It has only a few hairs. The small stems that hold the leaves, called petioles, are 2 to 6 millimeters long.

Netted Pawpaw Flowers

The netted pawpaw has lovely, sweet-smelling flowers. They usually hang downwards. Each flower grows from where a leaf used to be on the stem. There are usually 1 to 3 flowers at each spot. The small stalks that hold the flowers, called pedicels, are covered in orange hairs.

Each flower has three (sometimes four) triangle-shaped sepals. Sepals are like small leaves that protect the flower bud. These sepals are 8 to 10 millimeters long. They have red hairs on the outside. The inside is smooth.

The flowers also have six petals arranged in two rows of three. The outer petals are oval and white. They are 3 to 7 centimeters long. Their edges are wavy. The outside of these petals has orange hairs. The inside is smooth.

The inner petals are thicker and shaped like narrow triangles. They are 1 to 3.5 centimeters long. These petals roll back on their outer surface. Their bases are swollen and deeply wrinkled. The inside of these bases is purple.

Inside the flower, there are many stamens. These are the parts that make pollen. They form a pale green or pink structure about 0.5 centimeters wide. The flowers also have 3 to 8 spindle-shaped carpels. Carpels are the parts that will become the fruit. They are covered in orange hairs.

Netted Pawpaw Fruit and Seeds

The fruit of the netted pawpaw is irregularly shaped. It is yellow-green and smooth. The fruit grows to be 4 to 7 centimeters long. Inside, it has brown, shiny seeds. These seeds are 1 to 2 centimeters long. They are arranged in two uneven rows.

How it Reproduces

The netted pawpaw reproduces using pollen. Its pollen stays in groups of four. This plant is pollinated by special beetles. These beetles are called scarab beetles. Two types of scarab beetles help pollinate this plant. They are the dark flower scarab beetle (Euphoria sepulcralis) and the hairy flower scarab beetle (Trichiotinus rufobrunneus). These beetles visit the flowers and help spread the pollen.

Where it Grows

You can find the netted pawpaw growing in certain places in Florida. It likes moist, sandy soil that doesn't drain water very well. It often grows in areas called piney flatwoods. These are flat, wooded areas with pine trees. It also grows in coastal dune scrub habitats. These are sandy areas near the coast with low-growing plants.