Asimina tetramera Small — Four-petal pawpaw

Introduction

Four-petal pawpaw (Asimina tetramera) is a deciduous shrub endemic to the Atlantic Coastal Ridge of southeastern Florida, where it occupies scrub and old dune systems in Martin and northern Palm Beach counties. Tree TSAR places it in the Pygmaea Clade. The species is morphologically distinctive within Asimina: flowers may be three- or four-merous, and Kral regarded it as one of the most distinctive pawpaws. (Kral, 1960; Flora of North America, 1997).

Horticultural and Agricultural Uses

This is principally a conservation and research plant. Its narrow range, legal protection, and dependence on specialized scrub habitat make general horticultural collection inappropriate. Ex situ cultivation can be valuable when it is part of coordinated conservation work using documented, legally obtained material.

Conservation Concerns

Four-petal pawpaw is federally listed as Endangered and is also assessed as Endangered by the IUCN Red List. NatureServe’s 2022 review placed it at approximately G1 (Critically Imperiled) and documented only nine extant or presumed extant occurrences, with eight additional occurrences known to have been extirpated. Residential development continues to reduce habitat, and remaining sites require active management to maintain suitable scrub structure and reproductive output. (NatureServe, 2022; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2026; Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 2026).

Additional Information

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (opens in a new tab) - Federal Endangered Species Act profile.
NatureServe Explorer: NatureServe Explorer (opens in a new tab) - Current rarity and occurrence summary.
Plants of the World Online: Plants of the World Online (opens in a new tab) - Accepted taxon and IUCN category.

References and Further Reading

Kral, R. 1960. A revision of Asimina and Deeringothamnus (Annonaceae). Brittonia 12: 233-278. DOI: 10.2307/2805119 (opens in a new tab).

NatureServe. 2022-current. Asimina tetramera. NatureServe Explorer. Link (opens in a new tab)

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1986-current. Four-petal pawpaw (Asimina tetramera) species profile. Link (opens in a new tab)

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2026. Asimina tetramera. Plants of the World Online. Link (opens in a new tab)