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Plant Profile

Beautiful Pawpaw (Deeringothamnus pulchellus)

Global Rank: G2 - Imperiled
Legal Status: Federally Endangered
Family: Annonaceae
State: FL
Nature Serve ID: 139820
Lifeform: Subshrub
Date Inducted in National Collection: 03/08/1989

Description:

The small size of this species makes it easy to miss in its native habitat. It is a low-growing, deciduous, aromatic shrub or subshrub rarely grows more than 30 cm (0.5 meters) tall. One to several erect (if in mowed habitat) or arching (if in burned habitat) stems ascend from a taproot. These stems may be annual of perennial. Oblong leaves are alternate, leathery, and deciduous. The leaf tip is rounded or notched. Solitary white flowers arise from new leaf axils each season from March to May, and are fragrant. This species blooms only after fire or another disturbance. The fruit is fleshy, smooth, and yellow-green when ripe. (USFWS 1999)

Where is Beautiful Pawpaw (Deeringothamnus pulchellus) located in the wild?

Habitat:

This species is found in grassy flatwoods, road edges, xeric, mesic, and hydric flatwoods and pinelands in poorly drained soils. (FNAI 2000)Associated with Aristida spp., Vaccinium myrsinites, Serenoa repens, Myrica cerifera, Asimina reticulata, Quercus spp., Lyonia fruticosa, Befaria racemosa (USFWS 1999).

Distribution:

A Florida endemic that is known only from 2 small disjunct populations: Charlotte and Lee counties (19 occurrences), and Orange County (4 occurrences) (NatureServe 2001; FNAI 2000). Only five of the s

States & Provinces:

Beautiful Pawpaw can be found in Florida

Which CPC Partners conserve Beautiful Pawpaw (Deeringothamnus pulchellus)?

Bok Tower Gardens

Not Sponsored

Assigned 06/09/17

Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

Not Sponsored

Conservation Actions

Assigned 06/13/17

CPC's Plant Sponsorship Program provides long term stewardship of rare plants in our National Collection. We are so grateful for all our donors who have made the Plant Sponsorship Program so successful. We are in the process of acknowledging all our wonderful plant sponsorship donors on our website. This is a work in progress and will be updated regularly.

Conservation Actions

10/17/2020

Tissue culture lines and cryopreserved shoot tips of several genotypes are maintained at CREW.

10/17/2020

Tissue culture propagation and shoot tip cryopreservation protocols have been developed for this species at CREW (Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden).

Valerie Pence

01/08/2018

As seeds are not abundant and may not be adaptable to current seed banking conditions, more genetic representation should be added to ex situ cryopreserved shoot tip collections.

Valerie Pence

01/08/2018

Tissue culture lines and cryopreserved shoot tips of several genotypes are maintained at CREW.

Valerie Pence

01/08/2018

Tissue culture propagation and shoot tip cryopreservation protocols have been developed for this species at CREW (Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden).

Nature Serve Biotics

05/02/2017

A Florida endemic that is known only from 2 small disjunct areas: Charlotte and Lee counties (19 occurrences), and Orange County (4 occurrences). The rate of residential and agricultural development is very high where this species occurs.

Dorothy M. Brazis

01/01/2010

The rate of residential and agricultural development is very high where this species occurs. The principal cause of decline is habitat destruction for residential development, horticulture, tropical fruit production, and grazing. The exclusion of fire h

Dorothy M. Brazis

01/01/2010

Around 5000 individuals are found at 28 sites from Lee and Charlotte Counties, and one from Orange County. (FNAI 2000)

Dorothy M. Brazis

01/01/2010

Elaine Norman of Stetson University conducts research on this species.

Dorothy M. Brazis

01/01/2010

No active management known to be in progress.

Dorothy M. Brazis

01/01/2010

Habitat conservation and management. Additional protected and managed lands. Burning, mowing and possibly selective grazing. Control of exotic vegetation. Prescribed burns. Additional monitoring to verify the species' status on public land. Maintenance of a GIS database with distribution and known populations and suitable habitat. Conducting surveys of distribution. Protect and enhance existing populations. Conduct research on life history characteristics of the species. Monitor existing populations. Educate the public Restore areas to suitable habitat. Incorporate prescribed fire into the management regime.

Dorothy M. Brazis

01/01/2010

Maintain this species in conservation collections.