Flora of the Southeastern United States

1 Leaves herbaceous in texture, obovate, > 6 cm wide, acute-acuminate at the apex; flowers (inner petals and outer petals) reddish-maroon; shrubs and trees, 1-15 m tall; [collectively widespread in our area]; [Asimina s.s.].

  2 Flowering pedicels 2-7 mm long, the hairs tan to rusty; well-developed leaves (largest leaves on a plant) 6-15 (-22) cm long; sepals 4-7 mm long; outer petals 3-8 (-10) mm long; fruit 1-3 (-6) cm long; plant a non-clonal, clumped shrub 1-2 m (rarely to 5 m) tall; [of the Coastal Plain, but also extending inland into the Piedmont and low Mountains of NC, SC, GA, and AL]

  2 Flowering pedicels (10-) 15-20 (-25) mm long, the hairs dark reddish-brown; well-developed leaves (largest leaves on a plant) 24-45 cm long; sepals 8-12 mm long; outer petals 15-25 mm long; fruit (3-) 7-15 cm long; plant a clonal tree (with solitary stems) to 15 m tall; [widespread in our area]

1 Leaves coriaceous in texture, linear to oval, blunt at the tip (or acute-acuminate); peduncles lacking bracts; flowers reddish-maroon, pale pink, yellow, cream, or white; shrubs to 4.5 m tall; [mainly FL peninsula, north to e. GA, very rarely e. SC, s. AL, and FL Panhandle]; [“Pityothamnus”].

    3 Leaves 6-20× as long as wide.

      4 Outer petals 2-3.5 cm long at peak anthesis; outer petals cream yellow to reddish purple; [Manatee and Sarasota counties, wc. peninsular FL]

      4 Outer petals 4-8 cm long at peak anthesis; outer petals white; [collectively of n. FL (Levy, Alachua, and Putnam counties) northwards and westwards to e. SC, s. GA, s. AL and FL Panhandle].

        5 Leaves widest at or shortly above the middle, mostly 8-15× as long as wide, widest at the mid-point of the blade or just above; leaf margins revolute; outer petals white; inner petals white (-pink); new growth pubescent, becoming glabrous with age; primary stems erect to ascending, the leaves oriented in many directions

        5 Leaves widest near the tip, mostly 6-10× as long as wide, widest well beyond the midpoint of the blade; leaf margins slightly revolute; outer petals white or pink; inner petals white, pink, or with red or maroon patches; new growth glabrous or very sparsely pubescent, becoming glabrous with age; primary stems weakly to strongly arching, the leaves upwardly secund

    3 Leaves 1.5-5× as long as wide.

          6 Flowers borne on growth of the previous year, appearing before or with leaf expansion; flowers with a sweet odor; newly emergent leaves densely tomentose on the lower surface; plants to 15 dm tall.

             7 Newly emergent leaf blades densely tomentose on the lower surface with the hairs near the midrib reddish, the upper surface sparsely pubescent; mature leaves pale green or blue-green, glaucous, the margins revolute; outer petals white, inner petals white, yellowish, or pink, with a maroon or purple corrugated zone; [of wet or dry pinelands]

          6 Flowers borne on growth of the current year, appearing after leaf expansion; flowers with a sweet or fetid odor; newly emergent leaves sparsely pubescent (except densely tomentose in A. obovata); plants to 45 dm tall.

               8 Flowers terminal on short lateral branchlets; pubescence of new growth, petiole, lower leaf surface and peduncle dense, tomentose, and bright red; outer petals 4-6 (-8) cm long, white; inner petals white or pink, with a deep purple base; shrubs to 45 dm tall

               8 Flowers axillary along primary stems and/or branches; pubescence sparser and/or tan to rusty red; outer petals 1.5-3 cm long, maroon or pink, with darker longitudinal stripes; inner petals pink or deep maroon, with a deep purple base; shrubs to 30 dm tall.

                 9 Outer petals maroon or red, 1.5-3 cm long at full size; leaves erect and secund, 4-11 cm long, 1-4 cm wide, averaging 3-5× as long as wide; leaf tips obtuse, rounded, or rounded-emarginate (rarely somewhat acute); shrubs to 3 (-6) dm tall; petals 6 (or 8)

                 9 Outer petals pink towards the tip, deep maroon or dark pink striped towards the base, the base dark purple; shrubs 10-30 dm tall; petals 8 (or 6)