tips on the seed-producing organs clustered at the floral center) are 
exposed. Since the inner petals cover the stamens (pollen-producing 
organs) at this time, the pollen deposited on the stigmas must come from a 
different flower. In time, the stigmas disappear and the stamens become 
exposed and release pollen to be carried by beetles and other creatures to 
different flowers in the pollen-receptive phase. 
In winter, stroll by the pawpaws and examine the distinctive buds. 
They look like long, brownish red, curved cat's claws. 
The Latin name Asimina comes from the Indian name assimin for the 
tree. Triloba, meaning “three-lobed”, refers to the sepals and petals, which 
are in groups of three. 
See Map: R, 30, 32 
SASSAFRAS se 
Sassafras albidum 
The sassafras grove, “Tower Grove”, in 
the mausoleum grounds in front of 
Tower Grove House probably represents 
the only trees on the grounds that 
predate the Garden’s founding on this 
former prairie site. None of the individ- 
ual trees is that old, but the grove lives 
on resprouting from root suckers. 
Sassafras belongs to the large, mostly 
tropical Cinnamon Family (Lauraceae) 
along with avocados and such fragrant, 
spicy relatives as camphor, cinnamon, 
and laurel. Sassafras, too, is pungent and 
has been used for sassafras tea and to 
27 
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