Texas Ayenia
By Leo
Ayenia limitaris
Texas ayenia is a thornless medium-sized shrub, two to five feet tall. The leaves are 1 1/2-3 inches long, simple, alternate, and hairy. They have toothed margins and are shaped like an inverted teardrop. The flowers are small and clustered in the upper leaves, with five green, pink, or cream colored petals. Little is know about the reproductive biology of this species, a member of the chocolate family. Texas ayenia may be dependent on flooding for nutrient deposition and seed dispersal. This species is found on terraces and floodplains. It grows in dense, relatively moist, subtropical riparian woodlands, with an overall canopy cover of about 95%.
Endangered, Listed 8/24/1994
Much of its habitat has given way to residential development, cropland, or pasture, where it has had to compete with introduced pasture plants.