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Floristic Inventory of the Florida Keys Database Online

Pisonia aculeata L.
Devil’s claws, Pullback

Pisonia aculeata
Copyright by: Roger L. Hammer

Family: Nyctaginaceae

Group: Dicot

Substrate: Terrestrial

Habit: Vine

Perennation: Perennial

Native Range: Peninsular Florida, the West Indies, Mexico, Central America and South America.

IRC SOUTH FLORIDA Status: Secure

Map of select IRC data for peninsular Florida

SOUTH FLORIDA Occurrence: Present

SOUTH FLORIDA Native Status: Native

SOUTH FLORIDA Cultivated Status: Not Cultivated

FLORIDA KEYS Occurrence: Present

FLORIDA KEYS Native Status: Native

IRC FLORIDA KEYS Status: Rare

Map of select IRC data for the Florida Keys

Florida Keys History and Distribution: First collected between 1838 and 1853 by John Loomis Blodgett on the island of Key West.  Reported in 1913 by John Kunkel Small for hammocks from the upper Keys to the lower Keys.  We consider this native and extant from the upper Keys to the lower Keys.

Other data on Pisonia aculeata available from :

Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants

Pisonia aculeata has been reported from the following 12 conservation areas in the FLORIDA KEYS :
Occurrence Native Status
Attwood Addition, Indian Key Historic State Park Present Native
Biscayne National Park, Florida Keys Section Present Native
Crocodile Lake National Wildlife Refuge Present Native
Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammocks Botanical State Park Present Native
Dove Creek Hammocks, Florida Keys Wildlife and Environmental Area Present Native
Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge Reported
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park Present Native
Key West National Wildlife Refuge Present Native
Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park Present Native
Long Key State Park Present Native
National Key Deer Refuge Possibly Extirpated Possibly Extirpated
Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park Possibly Extirpated Possibly Extirpated




Pisonia aculeata has been reported for the following 3 habitats in THE FLORIDA KEYS :
Coastal Berm
Disturbed Upland
Rockland Hammock


All Images:

Pisonia aculeata
Copyright by: Roger L. Hammer
Pisonia aculeata
Copyright by: Keith A. Bradley
Pisonia aculeata
Copyright by: George D. Gann
in habitat, Everglades National Park, 2012