Trees of New York estate 223 



ANONACEAE 



Asiiiiina triloba Dunal. lAiioiia triloba L.] 



Papaw 



Habit — A shrub or small tree L'0-4U feet in heif^ht with a maximum trunk 

 diameter of 12 inches. Bole short and slender. Branches slender, spread- 

 ing, forming a rather broad, high crown. 'I'liis species often form)* 

 dense thickets in the shade of other trees. 



Leaves — Alternate, obovate-lanceolate. -4-12 inches long, 2-6 inches wide, 

 sharply acute at the ajjex, tapering gradually at the base, entire, at 

 maturity dull green and glabrous above, paler and glabrous below, borne 

 on a short, stout petiole Vi-% of an inch long. 



Flowers — Appearing in our range in late May and June, with the leaves 

 but usually below them on the twigs, axillary, solitary, perfect, at 

 Tuaturity reddish ])urple, l^/->-2 inches in diameter, borne on short, stout, 

 hairy, brown pedicels. Sepals 3, ovate, pale green, densely pubescent on 

 the outer surface. Petals 6, purple, retieulate-venulose, the 3 outer 

 broadly ovate and reflexed above the middle and much longer than the 

 sepals, the 3 inner smaller, erect, nectariferous at the base. Stamens 

 numerous, densely packed on the receptacle. Pistils sessile on the summit 

 of the receptacle, projecting above the stamens, each consisting of a 

 1-celled ovary and sessile stigma. 



Fruit — An oblong-eylindric or oval, somewhat falcate, smooth, green berry, 

 becoming dark brown, pulpy and edible at maturity. Seeds dark brown, 

 lustrous, ovate-oblong and. compressed, about 1 inch long and half as 

 wide, enclosed in an aril, horizontally imbedded in the tleshy pulp. 



Winter characters — Twigs rather slender, quite glabrous, thickened at the 

 nodes, reddish brown and marked with narrow, shallow grooves. Buds 

 alternate, naked, rusty brown, tomentose. Leaf-buds slender, somewhat 

 flattened, the lateral buds closely appressed to the twig and set in the 

 notch of the leaf-scar. Flower-buds lateral, spherical in outline, divergent. 

 Pith smail, Avhite. Mature bark thin, close, dark browTi, slightly scaly at 

 the surface. 



Habitat — Prefers moist sites along streams in rich bottom-land forests and 

 on loAv, fertile slopes. A''ery tolerant of shade. At its optimum range 

 often fonning the bulk of the undergrowth under other species but in 

 New York State usually in small isolated groups. 



Bange — Western New York westward through southern Michigan to eastern 

 Kansas, south to Florida and eastern Texas. Zone B. 



Uses — Of no timber value ' because of its small size and the character of 

 the wood. The edible fruit is sold in the regions where the tree abound.* 

 but is not grown commercially. The species possesses some ornamental 

 value. 



