ASÍMINA. The Pawpaw.AsÍmina trÍloba (LinnÆus) Dunal. Pawpaw. Plate 68. Shrubs or small trees; bark smooth except on very old trees when it becomes somewhat furrowed; twigs at first covered with rusty brown hairs, becoming glabrous and reddish-brown by the end of the season; leaves obovate-lanceolate, average blades 16-30 cm. long, abruptly taper-pointed, wedge-shape at base, margins entire, somewhat rusty pubescent at first, becoming at maturity glabrous above, and glabrous or nearly so beneath; flowers appear in May or early June, maroon color, drooping; fruit edible, ripening in September and October, 7-13 cm. long, greenish-yellow, smooth, pulp white or yellow, with a few large, dark-brown flattened seeds; wood light, soft and weak.

Distribution.—New York, north shore of Lake Erie, southern Michigan, Nebraska, south to Florida and west to Texas. Found in all parts of Indiana, although it is found in the greatest abundance in the central counties. It prefers a moist rich soil, although it is quite adaptive. Sometimes it is found in a black loam soil in low woods or about lakes, but its preference is for a beech and sugar maple woods or habitats approximating it. In the southern counties it is absent on the sterile wooded ridges, but may be a common shrub at the base of the slopes. It is a constant companion of the tulip tree and where one will grow the other is likely to be found. It is a great tree to send up suckers, hence it is always found in clumps, or forms real thickets. This species with us is usually 2-7 meters high; however, there are records of large trees. Collett in Ind. Geol. Rept. 5:404:1874, in a geological report of Gibson County says: "A forest of pawpaw bushes attracted our attention by their tree-like size, being nearly a foot in diameter."

Plate 68

Remarks.—This species is also known as the yellow and white pawpaw. Recently some enthusiasts have christened it the "Hoosier Banana". There has been an attempt for years to cultivate the pawpaw, and some varieties have been named. The fruit is variable. The one with a white pulp is rather insipid and is not considered good to eat. The form with a yellow pulp is the kind that is regarded as the most palatable. The two forms are not botanically separated but Prof. Stanley Coulter has made some observations on the two forms in the Ind. Geol. Rept. 24:745:1899. He says: "Two forms, not separated botanically are associated in our area. They differ in time of flowering, in size, shape, color and flavor of the fruit, in leaf shape, venation and odor and color of the bark. They are of constant popular recognition and probably separate species, never seeming to intergrade."

It is desirable for ornamental planning on account of its interesting foliage, beautiful and unique flowers and delicious fruit. It is very difficult to transplant a sucker plant, and in order to get a start of this species it is best to plant the seed or seedlings. It is usually found growing in the shade, but does well in full sunlight.

Mr. Arthur W. Osborn of Spiceland, who has done much experimental work in propagating this species, reports some interesting cases of pawpaw poisoning. He says he knew a lady whose skin would be irritated by the presence of pawpaws. Some individuals after eating them develop a rash with intense itching. In one instance he fed a person, subject to the rash from eating the pawpaw, a peeled pawpaw with a spoon, and the subject never touched the pawpaw, and the results were the same. The American Genetic Association has taken up the subject of improving the fruit of this tree, and there is no doubt but that in the future this species will be of considerable economic importance. The tree is free from all insect enemies, and since it can be grown in waste places, there is no reason why it should not receive more attention than it does.