Flora of North America species comparison

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

Crataegus berberifolia is widespread from Texas to Missouri, Florida, and Virginia; it is particularly abundant in Louisiana.

Crataegus berberifolia is little differentiated from some forms of C. crus-galli, except in indumentum; it has relatively small and less variably shaped leaves. Its distribution is quite different. Intermediates with hairy leaves and glabrous inflorescences or nearly glabrous leaves and hairy inflorescences may represent hybrids with C. crus-galli (where they might be reached in the key). Such a situation is found in C. araioclada. Abrasion of the adaxial leaf pubescence may occur, rendering identification more difficult with fruiting material. Crataegus berberifolia has a plethora of yellow and orange-fruited forms, particularly from southern Louisiana. Crataegus fera and C. tersa are red-fruited, C. crocina yellow. The fruit color in the type is unknown; E. J. Palmer (in specimen annotation) called it yellow-orange. A form with exceptionally white-tomentose leaves near Copenhagen, Louisiana, is probably this species. Crataegus regalis var. paradoxa (Sargent) E. J. Palmer, from Missouri and adjacent Kansas and Arkansas, is probably a hybrid between the deeply serrated 'regalis' leaf form of C. crus-galli and a form of C. berberifolia. Two common forms of C. berberifolia occur, treated here as varieties: var. engelmannii with ten pink anthers and var. berberifolia with 20 cream anthers. Forms with 20 pink or ten cream anthers also occur sporadically.

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

Crataegus persimilis has a large but sporadic distribution; some populations appear to be self-perpetuating. The species is widely cultivated.

Crataegus persimilis is plausibly a hybrid complex of C. crus-galli in the broad sense with C. succulenta in the broad sense. This is suggested by the glossy and subcoriaceous leaves like C. crus-galli, with larger size and broader proportions as in C. succulenta, and also dark and glossy one-year-old twigs, very dark, more or less stout one-year-old thorns, deeply incised sepal margins, and commonly pitted pyrenes (the sides usually excavated with a slit).

Included here is a substantial range of forms among which there is considerable variation in leaf shape, inflorescence indumentum, stamen number, anther color, pyrene excavation as well as other characters. The type form from near Rochester, New York, has the narrowest leaves (length/width = 1.5–2), most stamens (10–20), pink anthers, sparsely pubescent inflorescence branches, and deeply pitted pyrenes. The commonly cultivated ‘prunifolia’ form is similar but has a much broader leaf (length/width = 1.3–1.5) as well as densely pubescent or nearly tomentose inflorescence branches, and ten pink anthers. Crataegus helderbergensis resembles the last but has 10–14 white anthers and no lateral excavation to the pyrenes. Other similar taxa that are candidates for inclusion are: C. robusta, with wide leaves and nearly glabrous inflorescence branches, larger flowers (18 mm diam.), 10–20 pink anthers, plane-sided pyrenes in the type though excavated in syntype material; C. cerasina, similar, with laterally pitted pyrenes and smaller flowers (12 mm diam.). Crataegus livoniana Sargent has leaves more like C. crus-galli but barely eroded pyrenes and may not belong. Crataegus laetifica of Pennsylvania and Ohio is another similar form.

The cultivated plant is often called Crataegus prunifolia Persoon in the horticultural literature; this name is invalid because it is a later homonym of C. prunifolia (Marshall) Baumgarten, a synonym of Aronia prunifolia, the chokeberry. Crataegus persimilis, in its 'prunifolia' form is one of the more popular cultivated hawthorns. It is a handsome ornamental when well grown, with glossy foliage, striking scarlet fruit and fall color of foliage.

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