Asimina manasota

Asimina manasota

Critically Imperiled  (NatureServe)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Magnoliids
Order: Magnoliales
Family: Annonaceae
Genus: Asimina
Species:
A. manasota
Binomial name
Asimina manasota
Delaney[2]

Asimina manasota, commonly referred to as Manasota pawpaw,[2] is a rare species of pawpaw endemic to Manatee and Sarasota counties in Florida, USA.[1]

Habitat

It is known from turkey oak sandhill and xeric flatwoods, habitats which were once much more common around the head of the Manatee River.[1][3]

Conservation

It is now known from only a handful of remaining sites, two of them being protected, where there are an estimated 20 to 25 plants.[1][4] Exceptional ex situ conservation efforts have been undertaken by Marie Selby Botanical Gardens and Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens, including cryopreservation and creation of tissue culture lines, as traditional seed banking methods aren't viable for this species.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Asimina manasota". NatureServe Explorer. Retrieved 12 November 2025.
  2. ^ a b c "Asimina manasota". Florida PlantAtlas. Retrieved 12 November 2025.
  3. ^ a b "Asimina manasota". Flora of the Southeastern United States. Retrieved 12 November 2025.
  4. ^ a b c "Manasota Pawpaw (Asimina manasota)". Center for Plant Conservation. Retrieved 12 November 2025.