Persea americana

Distribution Map: Based on vouchered plant specimens from wild populations. Cultivated occurrences are not mapped. View county names by placing the cursor over the map.

Browse Photos

Consortia links

Image searches

Family:	LAURACEAE
Species:	Persea americana Mill.
Common Name:	AVOCADO
Status:	Not Native
Specimen:	View details of USF Herbarium specimens

** Not applicable or data not available.

Classification

Division
Class
Sub Class
Order	LAURALES
Family	LAURACEAE
Genus	Persea
Species	Persea americana Mill. - AVOCADO

Citation

Citation	PERSEA AMERICANA Miller, Gard. Dict., ed. 8. 1768.
Basionym:	Laurus persea Linnaeus 1753.
Type:	JAMAICA: Without data (lectotype: Sloane, Voy. Jamaica 2: pl. 222(2). 1725). Lectotypified by van der Werff, Novon 12: 580. 2002.

** Not applicable or data not available.

Source

County	Herbaria	Literature Citation (If Applicable)
Hernando	USF
Lee	USF
Miami-Dade	USF

Synonyms

– Denotes synonyms that are applicable to the state. Show these synonyms only

Synonym	Full Citation	Basionym	Type
Laurus persea	Laurus persea Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 370. 1753.		TYPE: JAMAICA: Without data (lectotype: Sloane, Voy. Jamaica 2: pl. 222(2). 1725). Lectotypified by van der Werff, Novon 12: 580. 2002.
Persea edulis	Persea edulis Rafinesque, Sylva Tellur. 134. 1838, nom. illegit.	BASIONYM: Persea americana Miller 1768; Laurus persea Linnaeus 1753.
Persea gratissima	Persea gratissima C. F. Gaertner, Suppl. Carp. 222, t. 221. 1807, nom. illegit.	BASIONYM: Persea americana Miller 1768; Laurus persea Linnaeus 1753.
Persea gratissima var. vulgaris	Persea gratissima C. F. Gaertner, var. vulgaris Meisner, in de Candolle, Prodr. 15(1): 53. 1864, nom. inadmiss.	BASIONYM: Persea gratissima C. F. Gaertner 1807, nom. illegit.; Persea americana Miller 1768; Laurus persea Linnaeus 1753.
Persea macrocarpa	Persea macrocarpa Rafinesque, Med. Repos., ser. 2. 5: 352. 1808, nom. illegit.	BASIONYM: Persea americana Miller 1768; Laurus persea Linnaeus 1753.
Persea persea	Persea persea (Linnaeus) Cockerell, Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 19: 95. 1892, nom. inadmiss.	BASIONYM: Persea americana Miller 1768; Laurus persea Linnaeus 1753.
Persea americana var. angustifolia	Persea americana Miller, var. angustifolia Miranda, Anales Inst. Biol. Univ. Nac. Mexico 17: 129. 1946.		TYPE: MEXICO: Puebla: Without data, Miranda 3482 (holotype: MEXU?; isotype: NY?).
Persea americana var. drymifolia	Persea americana Miller, var. drymifolia (Schlechtendal & Chamisso) S. F. Blake, J. Wash. Acad. Sci. 10: 15. 1920.	BASIONYM: Persea drymifolia Schlechtendal & Chamisso 1831.
Persea americana var. leiogyna	Persea americana Miller, var. leiogyna (S. F. Blake) Kelsey & Dayton, Stand. Pl. Names, ed. 2. 474. 1942.	BASIONYM: Persea leiogyna S. F. Blake 1920.
Persea americana var. nubigena	Persea americana Miller, var. nubigena (L. O. Williams) L. E. Kopp, Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 14: 19. 1966.	BASIONYM: Persea nubigena L. O. Williams 1950.
Persea drymifolia	Persea drymifolia Schlechtendal & Chamisso, Linnaea 6: 365. 1831.		TYPE: MEXICO: Veracruz: Papantla, Mar, Schiede & Deppe 1140 (holotype: ?; isotype: MO).
Persea floccosa	Persea floccosa Mez, Jahrb. Koenigl. Bot. Gart. Berlin 5: 148. 1889.		TYPE: MEXICO: Puebla: Near Chinantla, 1841, Liebmann 85 (holotype: B; isotype: C).
Persea gigantea	Persea gigantea L. O. Williams, Ceiba 4: 39. 1953.		TYPE: HONDURAS: Morazán: Mount Uyuca, 9 May 1947, Williams & Molina 12629 (holotype: EAP).
Persea gratissima var. drymifolia	Persea gratissima Gaertner, var. drymifolia (Schlechtendal & Chamisso) Mez, Jahrb. Königl. Bot. Gart. Berlin 5: 147. 1889.	BASIONYM: Persea drymifolia Schlechtendal & Chamisso 1831.
Persea gratissima var. macrophylla	Persea gratissima C. F. Gaertner, var. macrophylla Meisner, in de Candolle, Prodr. 15(1): 53. 1864, nom. illegit.	BASIONYM: Persea gratissima C. F. Gaertner, var. praecox Nees von Esenbeck 1836.
Persea gratissima var. oblonga	Persea gratissima Gaertner, var. oblonga Meisner, in de Candolle, Prodr. 15(1): 53. 1864.
Persea gratissima var. praecox	Persea gratissima C. F. Gaertner, var. praecox Nees von Esenbeck, Syst. Laur. 129. 1836.		TYPE: PERU: Loreto: Yurimaguas, s.d., Poeppig 2446 (holotype: ?; isotype: MO).
Persea leiogyna	Persea leiogyna S. F. Blake, J. Wash. Acad. Sci. 10: 19. 1920.		TYPE: CUBA: Cult. in Florida, Miami-Dade Co., Plant Introduction Garden at Miami, s.d., Popenoe 219 (holotype: US).
Persea nubigena	Persea nubigena L. O. Williams, Ceiba 1: 55. 1950.		TYPE: GUATEMALA: Chimaltenango: Between km posts 97-98 along raod, Cerro Chichoy near Chichoy, 6 Jul 1949, Williams & Molina 16833 (holotype: EAP; isotype: F).
Persea paucitriplinervia	Persea paucitriplinervia Lundell, Wrightia 5: 146. 1975.		TYPE: GUATEMALA: Baja Verapaz: Unión Barrios, W of km 154 on the Cobán Road, 12 Apr 1975, Lundell & Contreras 19177 (holotype: LL; isotype: MO).
Persea steyermarkii	Persea steyermarkii C. K. Allen, J. Arnold Arbor. 26: 286. 1945.		TYPE: GUATEMALA: San Marcos: Trail between Finca Porvenir and San Sebastián, upper slopes of Volcán Tajumulco, 1 Mar 1940, Steyermark 37061 (holotype: F).

Specimens

Country	State	County	Date	Specimen	Notes
USA	Florida	Lee Co.	11 Aug 1973	S. Todd 25
USA	Florida	Hernando Co.	17 Mar 1964	O. K. Lakela 26947
USA	Florida	Miami-Dade Co.	22 Mar 1965	O. K. Lakela 28349
USA	Florida	Hernando Co.	01 May 2015	C. vanHoek 2889	CULTIVATED.
Dominica	St. Paul Par.		29 May 1994	S. R. Hill 25650	CULTIVATED.
USA	Florida	Brevard Co.	11 Apr 1973	A.G. Shuey M1036	CULTIVATED.
USA	Florida	Manatee Co.	05 Dec 2008	E. Gandy GP0016	CULTIVATED.
Jamaica	Cornwall Co.	St. Elizabeth Par.	1844	J. Wolle s.n.
Dominican Republic	Samana Prov.		20 Mar 1984	T. A. Zanoni 29315
Jamaica	Cornwall Co.	St. Elizabeth Par.	1841	J. Wolle s.n.
USA	Florida	Polk Co.	20 Oct 1973	V. W. Yingst s.n.	CULTIVATED.
Honduras	Olancho Dept.		13 Apr 1985	F. Alvarado Flores 152
Honduras	Francisco Morazán Dept.		29 Apr 1985	Z. Nolasco 170
USA	Florida	Polk Co.	04 Apr 2001	Illegible collector name s.n.	CULTIVATED.
USA	Florida	Polk Co.	31 Jan 1996	R. Buker s.n.	CULTIVATED
USA	Florida	Polk Co.	21 Apr 1998	Illegible collector name s.n.	CULTIVATED
USA	Florida	Polk Co.	22 Jan 2001	S. Toole s.n.	CULTIVATED
USA	Florida	Polk Co.	16 Mar 2001	S. Toole s.n.	CULTIVATED
USA	Florida	Polk Co.	30 Mar 1999	J. Murray s.n.
USA	Florida	Polk Co.	31 Jan 1996	D. Corley s.n.

Listed Status: Florida

Listed Status:	(Florida):Source - Plants in the Preservation of Native Flora of Florida Act. Chapter 5B-40, Florida Administrative Code. 1998, amended.
Endangered:	A species of plants native to the state that are in imminent danger of extinction within the state, the survival of which is unlikely if the causes of a decline in the number of plants continue, and includes all species determined to be endangered or threatened pursuant to the Federal Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended.
Threatened:	Listed as Threatened Plants in the Preservation of Native Flora of Florida Act. Defined as species of plants native to the state that are in rapid decline in the number of plants within the state, but which have not so decreased in such number as to cause them to be endangered.

Listed Status: US

Listed Status: US	(U.S.) Source - List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants under the provisions of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended.
Endangered:	Any species which is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range.
Threatened:	Any species which is likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range.

WAP: Wetland AssessmentProcedure

Wetland Assessment Procedure (WAP): Source - Southwest Florida Water Management District, Wetland Assessment Procedure Instruction Manual for Isolated Wetlands (March 2005).

AD:	Adaptive Species. Plant species designated as FAC or Upland by DEP, but commonly seen in the transition zone in limited numbers.
D:	Deep Species. Plant species commonly found in the deep zone, and designated either FAC or OBL by DEP.
OD:	Outer Deep Species. Plant species commonly found in the outer deep zone, and designated either FACW or OBL by DEP.
T:	Transition Species. Plant species commonly found in the transition zone, and designated either FACW or OBL by DEP.
U:	Upland Species. Plant species that are not expected to be seen in wetlands.

ANY - WAP critieria is not taken into consideration
Yes - Show results with WAP designations
No - Show results without WAP designations

FISC: Florida Invasive Species Council

FISC:

Source - Florida Invasive Species Council's 2017 List of Florida's Most Invasive Species

Category I - Species that are invading and disrupting native plant communities in Florida. This definition does not rely on the economic severity or geographic range of the problem, but on the documented ecological damage caused.

Category II - Species that have shown a potential to disrupt native plant communities. These species may become ranked as Category I, but have not yet demonstrated disruption of natural Florida communities.

DEP: Department of Environmental Protection

Wetland Status, Department of Environmental Regulation (DEP): Source - Delineation of the Landward Extent of Wetlands and Surface Waters, Chapter 62-340, Florida Administrative Code. 1994.

OBL:	Obligate wetland. Occurs almost always under natural conditions in wetlands.
FACW:	Facultative Wetland. Usually occurs in wetlands, but occasionally found in non-wetlands
FAC:	Facultative. equally likely to occur in wetlands or non-wetlands.

NWPL: National Wetland Plant List

National Wetland Plant List (NWPL): Source - Lichvar, R.W., M. Butterwick, N.C. Melvin, and W.N. Kirchner. 2014. The National Wetland Plant List: 2014 Update of Wetland Ratings. Phytoneuron 2014-41: 1-42.

OBL:	Obligate Wetland. Occurs almost always (estimated probability 99%) under natural conditions in wetlands.
FACW:	Facultative Wetland. Usually occurs in wetlands (estimated probability 67%-99%), but occasionally found in non-wetlands.
FAC:	Facultative. Equally likely to occur in wetlands or non-wetlands (estimated probability 34%-66%).
FACU:	Facultative Upland. Usually occurs in non-wetlands (estimated probability 67%-99%), but occasionally found in wetlands (estimated probability 1%-33%).
UPL:	Obligate Upland. Occurs in wetlands in another region, but occurs almost always (estimated probability 99%) under natural conditions in non-wetlands in the regions specified.

Persisting

Identifying species that appear as waifs or only periodically appear in the flora for a few seasons.

Any - Persisting critieria is not taken into consideration
Yes - Show results with a Persisting value of Y
No - Show results without Persisting value of N

Duration

Annual:	Plants that perform their entire lifecycle within a single growing season. All roots, stems, and leaves die at the end of the growing season. Over wintering seeds allow the next generation to appear.
Biennial:	A plant that is typically vegetative its first year and blooms the following season. Once it has bloomed and set seed, the plant dies. Garlic mustard is an example of a biennial.
Perennial:	These plants live for three or more seasons. Many perennials may not be mature enough to bloom during its first year. Perennial wildflowers re-grow each season from overwinter root material.

Category

Vascular:	Any of various plants that have the vascular tissues xylem and phloem. The vascular plants include all seed-bearing plants (the gymnosperms and angiosperms) and the pteridophytes (including the ferns, lycophytes, and horsetails). Also called tracheophyte.
Bryophyte:	A large group of seedless green plants including the mosses, liverworts, and hornworts. Bryophytes lack the specialized tissues xylem and phloem that circulate water and dissolved nutrients in the vascular plants. Bryophytes generally live on land but are mostly found in moist environments, for they have free-swimming sperm that require water for transport. In contrast to the vascular plants, the gametophyte (haploid) generation of bryophytes constitutes the larger plant form, while the small sporophyte (diploid) generation grows on or within the gametophyte and depends upon it for nutrition.
Lichen:	The mutualistic symbiotic association of a fungus with an alga or a cyanobacterium, or both. The fungal component of a lichen absorbs water and nutrients from the surroundings and provides a suitable environment for the alga or cyanobacterium. These live protected among the dense fungal hyphae and produce carbohydrates for the fungus by photosynthesis. Owing to this partnership, lichens can thrive in harsh environments such as mountaintops and polar regions. The more familiar lichens grow slowly as crusty patches, but lichens are found in a variety of forms, such as the tall, plantlike reindeer moss. The association between the different organisms in a lichen is so close that lichens are routinely referred to as a single organism, and scientists classify lichens using the name of the fungal component.

(Definitions from: American Heritage Science Dictionary)

Growth Habit

Intro paragraph to be provided by New York.

Vine:	DESCRIPTION TO BE PROVIDED BY NEW YORK.
Shrub:	DESCRIPTION TO BE PROVIDED BY NEW YORK.
Tree:	DESCRIPTION TO BE PROVIDED BY NEW YORK.
Et cetera:	DESCRIPTION TO BE PROVIDED BY NEW YORK.

State Rank

This numeric rank provides the relative rarity for each species based on a scale from 1 (very rare) to 5 (common). These ranks carry no legal status.

S1 - Typically 5 or fewer occurrences, very few remaining individuals, acres, or miles of stream, or some factor of its biology making it especially vulnerable in the state.
S2 - Typically 6 to 20 occurrences, few remaining individuals, acres, or miles of stream, or factors demonstrably making it very vulnerable in the state.
S3 - Typically 21 to 100 occurrences, limited acreage, or miles of stream in the state.
S4 - Apparently secure in the state.
S5 - Demonstrably secure in the state.
SE - State exotic or non-native.
SH - Historically known from the state, but not seen in the past 15 years.
SNA - Species for which a rank is not applicable. This is mainly those species which are now excluded from flora for various reasons.
SNR - Not yet ranked.
SX - Apparently extirpated from the state.

Global Rank

Each species' global rank is determined by NatureServe. These ranks carry no legal weight. The global rank reflects the species worldwide rarity.

G1 - Critically imperiled globally because of extreme rarity (5 or fewer occurrences), or very few remaining acres, or miles of stream) or especially vulnerable to extinction because of some factor of its biology.
G2 - Imperiled globally because of rarity (6 - 20 occurrences, or few remaining acres, or miles of stream) or very vulnerable to extinction throughout its range because of other factors.
G3 - Imperiled globally because of rarity (6 - 20 occurrences, or few remaining acres, or miles of stream) or very vulnerable to extinction throughout its range because of other factors.
G4 - Imperiled globally because of rarity (6 - 20 occurrences, or few remaining acres, or miles of stream) or very vulnerable to extinction throughout its range because of other factors.
G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
GH - Historically known, with the expectation that it might be rediscovered.
GNA - Species for which a rank is not applicable. NatureServe does not typically rank hybrid species.
GNR - Not yet ranked.
GX - Species believed to be extinct.

Filter by County - Counties to Include - ANY versus ALL

Any - An Any search will combine the list of counties to include with a Boolean Or. Plant species returned will be found within at least one of the selected counties.
All - An All search will combine the list of counties to include with a Boolean And. Plant species returned will be found within each of the selected counties.

Filter by County - Counties to Exclude - ANY versus ALL

Any - An Any search will combine the list of counties to exclude with a Boolean Or. Plant species returned will not be found within at least one of the selected counties.
All - An All search will combine the list of counties to exclude with a Boolean And. Plant species returned will not be found within any of the selected counties.

Associated Ecological Communities

View a List of All Ecological Communities

For more information, contact: Richard Wunderlin or Bruce Hansen, Alan Franck, or Karla Alvarado

Web Development: USF Water Institute

A member of the University of South Florida family of PlantAtlas.org websites

Citation Information:

Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. 2024. Atlas of Florida Plants (http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/). [S. M. Landry and K. N. Campbell (application development), USF Water Institute.] Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

Search Help

Select the criterion by which you wish to search (Scientific name, Genus, Family, etc.) and enter that information into the provided field.

Hint: Correct spelling is necessary for desired results, but because this function is a string search the full name need not be entered. Any correct part of a taxon name can be entered and a choice of the correct one made from the small list of resulting matches.

For example, matching the full name exactly in a Scientific Name search for Piptochaetium avenacioides may be difficult, but strings of either tium aven or avenaci or m avenac or pipto will all result in very small lists of matches. The intended name can then be chosen from any of those lists. Usually, the last letter (or two) of a given genus, a space, and the first few correct letters of the specific epithet will provide a sufficiently short list containing the desired taxon.

A similar example in a Common Name search is Virginia snakeroot. Searching using "snake root" will yield no results due to the extra space, but searching "snake" will generate a short list of plants with the word "snake" in the common name. Furthermore, a search of "Virginia snake" or even "nia snak" yields one result: Virginia snakeroot.

If, after following the above advice, then difficulties are still encountered please use the "browse" feature.

Definition: Vouchered Specimen

A voucher specimen is a pressed and thoroughly dried plant sample deposited in a herbarium, and is intended to be a permanent record supporting research purposes. A voucher may be a record of a plant's occurrence in a particular area, or a specific example of a plant used in a scientific investigation.

Proper vouchers display all the necessary attributes for complete identification of the plant, and are to be accompanied by accurate locality, habitat, collection time, and collector data.

Only plant populations vouchered by specimens deposited in Index Herbariorum http://sweetgum.nybg.org/science/ih/ recognized herbaria are represented on this map.