Deeringothamnus pulchellus
Encyclopedia
Deeringothamnus pulchellus is a rare species of flowering plant in the custard apple family
known by the common names beautiful pawpaw, royal false pawpaw, and white squirrel banana. It is endemic to Florida
in the United States, where there are perhaps 5000 plants remaining in severely fragmented
habitat
in three counties
. The main threat to this species is habitat destruction and degradation. It was federally listed as an endangered species
in 1986.
The beautiful pawpaw is one of two species in the genus Deeringothamnus. One author suggested it be included within the other species, Deeringothamnus rugelii
, as a variety, which would make it a monotypic genus. This suggestion was not accepted and the beautiful pawpaw is still described at species level. It can be differentiated from D. rugelii by its narrower, more curved petal
s.
This species is a small shrub
growing not more than half a meter tall from a taproot
. The leathery leaf blades are somewhat oval, oblong, or spatula
-shaped, measuring 4 to 7 centimeters in length. The inflorescence
is a solitary flower nodding or held upright on a short peduncle
. The sweet-scented flowers have varying numbers of fleshy white or pink-tinged petals that measure 2 or 3 centimeters long. The sweet fragrance of the flowers in this species is caused by benzenoid compounds including veratrole
, and the alcohol linalool. The flowers are pollinated
by a number of insect
s, including the beetle Mordella atrata and the thrips
species Frankliniella bispinosa and Thrips hawaiiensis. The fruit is a large yellow-green berry
that may be up to 7 centimeters long. One flower may yield several fruits. The berry contains a few seeds each about a centimeter long or slightly larger. This plant sometimes hybridizes with its relative, Asimina reticulata.
This plant occurs in slash pine woods on sandy substrates among other plant species, including saw palmetto, fetterbush (Lyonia lucida), shiny blueberry (Vaccinium myrsinites), dwarf live oak
(Quercus minima), and tarflower (Befaria racemosa). It is known from three Florida counties: Charlotte
, Lee
, and Orange Counties
. The Orange County occurrences are about 100 miles disjunct
from the Charlotte and Lee populations. Both regions are becoming ever more urban
ized, with wild habitat claimed for residential, commercial, and agricultural purposes. Many populations of this plant have been destroyed as the land was cleared. The remaining wild tracts are highly fragmented and isolated between stretches of developed land. These fragments are degraded by a number of processes, especially fire suppression. The habitat is naturally maintained by periodic wildfire
, and this plant is fire-dependent. It requires fire to clear larger vegetation and brush away so it can receive adequate sunlight. It has also been demonstrated that fire increases the plant's flower production.
Other threats to the habitat and its plants include exotic plant species
such as Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius). Other possible threats include all-terrain vehicle
use, feral pigs, improper use of herbicide
s, and damage to plants by the leafroller caterpillar
Choristoneura parallela.
Land management
continues to be the main issue for this plant. Many of the remaining 39 occurrences are on protected public land, but even these are vulnerable to degradation and destruction because they are not maintained adequately. For the health of the plants, the habitat must undergo periodic burns and it should be protected from exotic plant species.
Annonaceae
Annonaceae, also called the custard apple familyis a family of flowering plants consisting of trees, shrubs or rarely lianas.With about 2300 to 2500 species and more than 130 genera,...
known by the common names beautiful pawpaw, royal false pawpaw, and white squirrel banana. It is endemic to Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
in the United States, where there are perhaps 5000 plants remaining in severely fragmented
Habitat fragmentation
Habitat fragmentation as the name implies, describes the emergence of discontinuities in an organism's preferred environment , causing population fragmentation...
habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
in three counties
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
. The main threat to this species is habitat destruction and degradation. It was federally listed as an endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
in 1986.
The beautiful pawpaw is one of two species in the genus Deeringothamnus. One author suggested it be included within the other species, Deeringothamnus rugelii
Deeringothamnus rugelii
Deeringothamnus rugelii is a rare species of flowering plant in the custard apple family known by the common names Rugel's pawpaw, Rugel's false pawpaw, and yellow squirrel banana. It is endemic to Volusia County, Florida, in the United States, where there are fewer than 5000 plants remaining...
, as a variety, which would make it a monotypic genus. This suggestion was not accepted and the beautiful pawpaw is still described at species level. It can be differentiated from D. rugelii by its narrower, more curved petal
Petal
Petals are modified leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They often are brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. Together, all of the petals of a flower are called a corolla. Petals are usually accompanied by another set of special leaves called sepals lying...
s.
This species is a small shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
growing not more than half a meter tall from a taproot
Taproot
A taproot is an enlarged, somewhat straight to tapering plant root that grows vertically downward. It forms a center from which other roots sprout laterally.Plants with taproots are difficult to transplant...
. The leathery leaf blades are somewhat oval, oblong, or spatula
Spatula
The term spatula is used to refer to various small implements with a broad, flat, flexible blade used to mix, spread and lift materials including foods, drugs, plaster and paints...
-shaped, measuring 4 to 7 centimeters in length. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
is a solitary flower nodding or held upright on a short peduncle
Peduncle (botany)
In botany, a peduncle is a stem supporting an inflorescence, or after fecundation, an infructescence.The peduncle is a stem, usually green and without leaves, though sometimes colored or supporting small leaves...
. The sweet-scented flowers have varying numbers of fleshy white or pink-tinged petals that measure 2 or 3 centimeters long. The sweet fragrance of the flowers in this species is caused by benzenoid compounds including veratrole
1,2-Dimethoxybenzene
1,2-Dimethoxybenzene, commonly known as veratrole, is a chemical compound with the formula C6H42. It is the dimethyl ether derived from pyrocatechol. Veratrole is slightly soluble in water, but miscible in all organic solvents. It is a building block for the organic synthesis of other aromatic...
, and the alcohol linalool. The flowers are pollinated
Pollination
Pollination is the process by which pollen is transferred in plants, thereby enabling fertilisation and sexual reproduction. Pollen grains transport the male gametes to where the female gamete are contained within the carpel; in gymnosperms the pollen is directly applied to the ovule itself...
by a number of insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s, including the beetle Mordella atrata and the thrips
Thrips
Thrips are tiny, slender insects with fringed wings . Other common names for thrips include thunderflies, thunderbugs, storm flies, thunderblights, and corn lice...
species Frankliniella bispinosa and Thrips hawaiiensis. The fruit is a large yellow-green berry
Berry
The botanical definition of a berry is a fleshy fruit produced from a single ovary. Grapes are an example. The berry is the most common type of fleshy fruit in which the entire ovary wall ripens into an edible pericarp. They may have one or more carpels with a thin covering and fleshy interiors....
that may be up to 7 centimeters long. One flower may yield several fruits. The berry contains a few seeds each about a centimeter long or slightly larger. This plant sometimes hybridizes with its relative, Asimina reticulata.
This plant occurs in slash pine woods on sandy substrates among other plant species, including saw palmetto, fetterbush (Lyonia lucida), shiny blueberry (Vaccinium myrsinites), dwarf live oak
Quercus minima
Quercus minima, the Dwarf Live Oak, is a rhizomatous oak tree. Growth is shrub-like, with it commonly forming extensive cloned colonies. Leaves are alternate, simple, and entire or with irregular teeth or lobes. Lobes when present are usually spine tipped. Leaves are retained through the winter,...
(Quercus minima), and tarflower (Befaria racemosa). It is known from three Florida counties: Charlotte
Charlotte County, Florida
Charlotte County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 141,627. In 2005, the population of the MSA was 154,030.The U.S. Census Bureau 2007 estimate for the county was 152,814...
, Lee
Lee County, Florida
Lee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. Located in southwest Florida, the principal cities in the county are Fort Myers and Cape Coral...
, and Orange Counties
Orange County, Florida
Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida and is part of the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 1,145,956....
. The Orange County occurrences are about 100 miles disjunct
Disjunct distribution
In biology, a taxon with a disjunct distribution is one that has two or more groups that are related but widely separated from each other geographically...
from the Charlotte and Lee populations. Both regions are becoming ever more urban
Urban area
An urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
ized, with wild habitat claimed for residential, commercial, and agricultural purposes. Many populations of this plant have been destroyed as the land was cleared. The remaining wild tracts are highly fragmented and isolated between stretches of developed land. These fragments are degraded by a number of processes, especially fire suppression. The habitat is naturally maintained by periodic wildfire
Wildfire
A wildfire is any uncontrolled fire in combustible vegetation that occurs in the countryside or a wilderness area. Other names such as brush fire, bushfire, forest fire, desert fire, grass fire, hill fire, squirrel fire, vegetation fire, veldfire, and wilkjjofire may be used to describe the same...
, and this plant is fire-dependent. It requires fire to clear larger vegetation and brush away so it can receive adequate sunlight. It has also been demonstrated that fire increases the plant's flower production.
Other threats to the habitat and its plants include exotic plant species
Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
such as Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius). Other possible threats include all-terrain vehicle
All-terrain vehicle
An all-terrain vehicle , also known as a quad, quad bike, three wheeler, or four wheeler, is defined by the American National Standards Institute as a vehicle that travels on low pressure tires, with a seat that is straddled by the operator, along with handlebars for steering control...
use, feral pigs, improper use of herbicide
Herbicide
Herbicides, also commonly known as weedkillers, are pesticides used to kill unwanted plants. Selective herbicides kill specific targets while leaving the desired crop relatively unharmed. Some of these act by interfering with the growth of the weed and are often synthetic "imitations" of plant...
s, and damage to plants by the leafroller caterpillar
Caterpillar
Caterpillars are the larval form of members of the order Lepidoptera . They are mostly herbivorous in food habit, although some species are insectivorous. Caterpillars are voracious feeders and many of them are considered to be pests in agriculture...
Choristoneura parallela.
Land management
Habitat conservation
Habitat conservation is a land management practice that seeks to conserve, protect and restore, habitat areas for wild plants and animals, especially conservation reliant species, and prevent their extinction, fragmentation or reduction in range...
continues to be the main issue for this plant. Many of the remaining 39 occurrences are on protected public land, but even these are vulnerable to degradation and destruction because they are not maintained adequately. For the health of the plants, the habitat must undergo periodic burns and it should be protected from exotic plant species.