About Asimina reticulata Shuttlew. ex Chapm.
Asimina reticulata Shuttlew. ex Chapm. is a shrub that grows to 1.5 meters tall. It has a deep, spindle-shaped taproot that produces 1 to several shoots. The bark of these shoots changes color as it ages: it starts as tan or rust-colored, shifts to brown or gray-brown, and ultimately becomes gray. Its leathery, oblong leaves measure 5 to 8 centimeters long, with tips that can be pointed, rounded, or slightly notched. The leaf margins are rolled under. Young leaves have sparse orange hairs on their upper surfaces, and dense orange hairs on their lower surfaces. Mature leaves are hairless and pale green on the upper surface, and much paler with sparse hairs on the lower surface. Its petioles are 2 to 6 millimeters long. Each leaf scar axil produces 1 to 3 flowers per node, on pedicels 2 to 3.5 centimeters long. The pedicels are covered in orange hairs. Its flowers are fragrant and nodding. Flowers have 3, sometimes 4, triangular sepals 8 to 10 millimeters long. Sepals have red hairs on their outer surface, and are hairless on their inner surface. Flowers have 6 petals arranged in two rows of 3. The oval, white outer petals are 3 to 7 centimeters long with wavy margins. Outer petals have orange hairs on their outer surfaces, and are hairless on their inner surfaces. The fleshy inner petals measure 1 to 3.5 centimeters long, shaped like narrow triangles, rolled back on their outer surface, and have deeply wrinkled, purple swollen bases on their inner surface. The stamens form a pale green or pink androecium 0.5 centimeters in diameter. Flowers have 3 to 8 spindle-shaped carpels covered in orange hairs. Its irregularly shaped, yellow-green, hairless fruits are 4 to 7 centimeters long. Its brown, shiny seeds are 1 to 2 centimeters long and arranged in two irregular rows. This species has been observed growing in moist, poorly drained sand in piney flatwoods and coastal dune scrub habitats.
