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COMMON PAP AW. 



Asimina triloba, Dunal. 



FAMILY AND GENUS DESCRIPTION The Custard Apple family, Anonaceae, comprises 

 about 46 genera with 600 species confined mostly to the tropics. Only a few species are found 

 in temperate regions. This family produces little that is of real economic importance. Only 2 

 genera, Asimina and Anona, are represented by tree species in the United States. The genus 

 Asimina does not have representatives outside of North America, where about 8 species are 

 known to occur. The sole representative of this family native to this State is the species de- 

 scribed on this page. 



FORM A small tree usually 10-40 ft. in height with a diameter up to 12 inches. Trunk short 

 and slender. Crown rather broad, high, and formed by straight rather spreading lateral branches. 



BARK Thin, close, sometimes slightly fissured, dark brown, often covered with scattered 

 white blotches. 



TWIGS Round, olive-brown, enlarged at the nodes, rather slender, at first often somewhat 

 hairy towards apex; later smooth, covered with a few fine lenticels which become evident dur- 

 ing second year; pith small and white. 



BUDS Alternate, 2-ranked or sometimes 3-ranked, brown, naked, hairy. Terminal, lateral 

 leaf and flower buds differ in size and form. Terminal bud is much longer than the others and 

 evidently flattened. Lateral leaf -buds about J of an inch long, closely appressed to twig 

 and located in notch on upper surface of leaf -scars. Flower-buds are lateral along the twig, 

 spherical in outline, about 1/6 of an inch in diameter, very hairy and dark brown; do not stand 

 quite parallel to twig. 



LEAVES Alternate, simple, obovate-lanceolate, 4-12 Inches long, thin, pointed at apex, 

 tapering at base, entire on margin, when mature dark green above and paler below. In au- 

 tuinn they turn rusty yellow. 



LEAF-SCARS Alternate, located on enlarged projections of the twig, inclined at about an 

 angle of 35 degrees to the twig, broadly U-shaped, almost surround bud, somewhat lighter than 

 the twig, contain usually 5 bundle-scars which are often compounded. A ridge extends across 

 the leaf -sea i- from the bud to the base of the scar. 



FLOWERS Appear about April or May with the leaves but are usually located below them 

 along the twigs. They occur solitary and axillary; are perfect, at first green, later reddish- 

 purple, 1-1* inches wide, and borne on stout hairy stalks. 



FRUIT Suggests a stubby banana, is cylindrical, rounded, or occasionally blunt-pointed at 

 the ends, 3-5 inches long, at first green, later dark-brown, pulpy, edible, contains many dark- 

 brown, shiny, flattened seeds which are scattered throughout the flesh. 



WOOD Ring-porous with a diffuse-porous tendency; rays very numerous and distinct; heart- 

 wood brownish; sapwood yellowish; weak, soft, weighs about 25 Ibs. per cubic foot. Not used 

 commercially. 



DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS The Common Papaw can be recognized best in au- 

 tumn by its unique fruit which is very suggestive of a stubby banana. In spring the greenish- 

 brown to reddish-purple flowers which occur solitary along the twigs and measure 1-1J inches 

 across are also characteristic. The large, tropical-like, alternate leaves will also aid in recog- 

 nizing it. In winter the long, slender, somewhat flattened, naked, brownish, terminal buds 

 and the spherical flower-buds along the side of the twigs and the U-shaped leaf-scars which almost 

 surround the buds and usually contains 5 bundle-scars, will enable one to distinguish it. 

 The fact that it occurs only in about the southern third of the State may also help in distinguish- 

 ing it. 



RANGE Western New York and west central New Jersey south to Florida and west to 

 Michigan, Kansas, and Texas. 



DISTRIBUTION IN PENNSYLVANIA Locally found in small .groups in practically every 

 county of ti'.o State south of a line drawn from Pittsburgh through Harrisburg and Reading to 

 Doylestown in Bucks county. Not common anywhere but well known on account of its peculiar 

 fruit. Usually found below altitude of 1,000 feet but in the South Mountains in Adams and 

 Franklin counties found at 1,200 feet. 



HABITAT Prefers rich moist situations. Usually found in river valleys near streams but oc- 

 casionally PHcends low fertile slopes. It may form dense thickets but in this State usually 

 occurs solitary or in rather open groups. Occurs with other species in the understory of the 

 forest, and is very tolerant of shade. 



IMPORTANCE OF TH SPECIES This species is of no commercial importance as a forest 

 tree anywhere in its range. The fruit which it produces is of more value than its wood. It 

 never reaches a large size, and in addition is local and limited in its distribution. It is, how- 

 ever, a very attractive tree on account of its somewhat drooping tropical leaves, handsome 

 flowers, and peculiar fruit. 



