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diel's cotoneaster

cotoneaster, Franchet's cotoneaster, orange cotoneaster

Habit Shrubs, 2–4 m. Stems narrowly erect, spreading; branches distichous, grayish brown, initially tomentose-pilose. Shrubs, 2–3 m. Stems erect, arching, lax, slender; branches distichous, maroon, initially densely pilose-strigose.
Leaves

deciduous;

petiole 2–5 mm, tomentose-pilose;

blade ovate to elliptic or broadly ovate, 9–38 × 7–23 mm, coriaceous or subcoriaceous, base obtuse or cuneate, margins flat, not revolute, veins 2–4, lightly sunken, apex acute or acuminate, abaxial surfaces densely grayish tomentose, adaxial dark green to grayish green, shiny, not glaucous, flat, rarely slightly bulging, between lateral veins, slightly rugose, pilose;

fall leaves bright yellow to orange or red.

persistent, often 30–40 mm apart;

petiole 2–4 mm, tomentose-pilose;

blade ovate or elliptic, 22–58 × 12–29 mm, coriaceous, base cuneate or obtuse, margins flat, veins 4 or 5, sunken, apex acute or acuminate, mucronate, abaxial surfaces silvery-tomentose, adaxial grayish green, slightly shiny, not glaucous, flat, rarely slightly bulging between lateral veins, drying slightly rugose, pilose.

Inflorescences

on fertile shoots 10–35 mm with 4 leaves, 2–7(–10)-flowered, compact.

on fertile shoots 30–60 mm with 4 leaves, 5–15(–25)-flowered, compact.

Pedicels

1–3 mm, tomentose-strigose.

1–4 mm, densely long-silky hairy.

Flowers

erect, 6–7.5 mm, closed;

hypanthium funnelform, proximally tomentose-strigose, distally tomentose-pilose;

sepals: margins reddish tomentose, borders purple, broad, glabrous, apex cuspidate or apiculate, surfaces pilose;

petals erect-incurved, dark pink to red, base dark red, margins off-white;

stamens 14–20, filaments red to dark red, anthers white;

styles 3 or 4(or 5).

(5–)7–8(–10) mm, opening small;

hypanthium cupulate, densely long-silky hairy;

sepals: margins villous, borders purple, glabrous, apex cuspidate or acuminate, surfaces silky hairy;

petals erect-incurved, pink or red, base dark pink to dark red, margins off-white;

stamens 16–21, filaments pink, distally white, anthers pink or purplish pink;

styles 2 or 3(or 4).

Pomes

bright red, broadly obovoid, sometimes globose or depressed-globose, 5–9.1 × 5.1–8.8 mm, slightly shiny, not glaucous, pilose;

sepals flat, tomentose;

navel open;

style remnants 1/2–2/3 from base.

orange-red, obovoid base rounded or obconic base cuneate, straight-sided, 8–12 × 6–9 mm, apex flat, shiny, not glaucous, sparsely pilose;

sepals flat, often asymmetric with 2 sepals longer than others, tomentose;

navel slightly open;

style remnants 3/4 from base.

Pyrenes

3 or 4(or 5).

2 or 3(or 4).

2n

= 68 (Germany).

Cotoneaster dielsianus

Cotoneaster franchetii

Phenology Flowering May–Jun; fruiting Aug–Mar. Flowering May–Jul; fruiting Oct–Apr.
Habitat Edges of woods, disturbed forests, flood plains, thickets, waste ground, cliffs, meadows, brushy wet prairie remnants Edges, thickets, disturbed forests, flood plains, urban waste ground, mossy ledges, wet prairie remnants
Elevation 0–500 m (0–1600 ft) 0–700 m (0–2300 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
OR; WA; BC; Asia (China) [Introduced in North America; introduced also in Europe]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; OR; WA; BC; Asia (China) [Introduced in North America; introduced also in Europe, Pacific Islands (New Zealand), Australia]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

L. Lingdi and A. R. Brach (2003) included within Cotoneaster dielsianus several taxa recognized here as distinct species, including C. bradyi J. Fryer & E. C. Nelson and C. splendens Flinck & B. Hylmö. Some collections from Oregon approach an undescribed species from China but differ in fruit shape.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Reports of Cotoneaster franchetii from Colorado (J. Ells 2006) are here referred to C. lucidus. A few specimens escaped in Washington have red filaments, not pink, but otherwise agree with C. franchetii. Other escapes in Washington suggest the closely related C. wardii W. W. Smith, distinguished by semievergreen habit, longer fertile shoots, more lax and elongate inflorescences, and white anthers. The entire complex needs biosystematic review.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 9, p. 466. FNA vol. 9, p. 465.
Parent taxa Rosaceae > subfam. Amygdaloideae > tribe Maleae > Cotoneaster Rosaceae > subfam. Amygdaloideae > tribe Maleae > Cotoneaster
Sibling taxa
C. adpressus, C. atropurpureus, C. cochleatus, C. conspicuus, C. crispii, C. dammeri, C. divaricatus, C. fangianus, C. franchetii, C. frigidus, C. gamblei, C. hjelmqvistii, C. hodjingensis, C. horizontalis, C. integrifolius, C. lacteus, C. lucidus, C. magnificus, C. melanocarpus, C. miniatus, C. monopyrenus, C. nitens, C. pannosus, C. qungbixiensis, C. rehderi, C. salicifolius, C. simonsii, C. sternianus, C. tengyuehensis, C. transens, C. vestitus, C. villosulus, C. ×suecicus
C. adpressus, C. atropurpureus, C. cochleatus, C. conspicuus, C. crispii, C. dammeri, C. dielsianus, C. divaricatus, C. fangianus, C. frigidus, C. gamblei, C. hjelmqvistii, C. hodjingensis, C. horizontalis, C. integrifolius, C. lacteus, C. lucidus, C. magnificus, C. melanocarpus, C. miniatus, C. monopyrenus, C. nitens, C. pannosus, C. qungbixiensis, C. rehderi, C. salicifolius, C. simonsii, C. sternianus, C. tengyuehensis, C. transens, C. vestitus, C. villosulus, C. ×suecicus
Name authority E. Pritz ex Diels: Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 29: 385. (1900) Bois: Rev. Hort. 74: 380, figs. 159–161, 164. (1902)
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