Home/Species/ Avocado

Persea americana

P. Mill.

Avocado

GNRUnranked Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →

GNRUnrankedGlobal Rank

Identity

Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.140276

Element CodePDLAU0B010

Record TypeSPECIES

ClassificationSpecies

Classification StatusStandard

Name CategoryVascular Plant

KingdomPlantae

PhylumAnthophyta

ClassDicotyledoneae

OrderLaurales

FamilyLauraceae

GenusPersea

Other Common Names

avocado (EN)

Concept Reference

Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.

Taxonomic Comments

Fossils indistinguishable from the modern genus Persea are known from the Cretaceous, according to discussion at Bot.Soc. Washingtonm 3Mar98. FNA (vol. 3, 1997) excludes from North America.

Conservation Status

Review Date2002-09-10

Change Date2002-09-10

Edition Date1991-04-16

Edition AuthorsBroaddus, Lynn; rev. by S. Gottlieb

Range Extent Comments

Several wild species of of Persea grow in Central America and it is believed that the cultivated forms were domesticated in Mexico and Guatemala.

Ecology & Habitat

Other Nations (1)

United StatesNNA

Province	Rank	Native
Florida	SNA	No
Hawaii	SNA	No

Plant Characteristics

DurationPERENNIAL, Long-lived

Economic Value (Genus)Yes

Roadless Areas (1)

Puerto Rico (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
El Toro Area	Caribbean National Forest	12,584

References (4)

Alvarez, Luis and Jorge Poveda. 1991. Arboles Maderables Nativos de Costa Rica. Museo Nacional de Costa Rica. San José, Costa Rica.
Brucher, H. 1989. Useful Plants of Neotropical Origin and Their Wild Relatives. Springer-Verlag. New York. 296 pp.
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Little, E.L., Jr. 1979. Checklist of United States trees (native and naturalized). Agriculture Handbook No. 541. U.S. Forest Service, Washington, D.C. 375 pp.