Flora of North America species comparison

The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

Crataegus berberifolia

Crataegus suborbiculata

barberry hawthorn, barberry-leaf hawthorn

caughuawaga hawthorn
Habit Shrubs or trees, 60 dm. Shrubs or trees, 80 dm.
Stems

twigs: new growth orange-brown or green tinged with red, ± pubescent, 1-year old brown, older gray;

thorns on twigs ± straight or recurved, 2-years old shiny black to chestnut brown, fine or stouter, (2–)3–4(–6.5) cm.

twigs: new growth reddish, 1-year old tan, 2-years old light gray;

thorns on twigs straight, 2-years old blackish, usually shiny, ± slender, 2.5–4.5 cm.
Leaves

petiole 4–6 mm, length 13–18% blade, glabrescent, eglandular;

blade narrowly obovate to oblanceolate, (2.5–)3(–4) cm, coriaceous, base narrowly cuneate, lobes 0, margins finely crenate or serrate except at base, or only beyond widest part, venation craspedodromous, veins 4–6 per side, apex subacute to obtuse, lustrous, abaxial surface ± densely pilose on veins, sometimes pubescent on surface, adaxial hairy young, glabrescent or becoming scabrous.

petiole length 50–100% blade, eglandular or with 1–2(–3) glands;

blade broadly elliptic or rhombic to suborbiculate, 4–6 cm, thin, base cuneate to broadly cuneate, lobes 3 or 4 per side, sinuses shallow, lobe apex acute, margins serrate, eglandular, veins 5 or 6 per side, apex acute to obtuse, surfaces glabrous, adaxial sparsely hairy young.
Inflorescences

8–12-flowered;

branches densely pubescent;

bracteoles linear, margins glandular.

5–10-flowered;

branches glabrous;

bracteoles sometimes absent, margins glandular.
Flowers

10–20 mm diam.;

hypanthium villous or glabrous;

sepals 3–5 mm, margins entire, abaxially glabrous;

stamens 10 or 20, anthers cream or pink;

styles 2 or 3.

20–24 mm diam.;

sepals narrowly triangular, 5–6 mm, margins subentire, abaxially glabrous;

stamens 20, anthers cream, pink, or red, 0.7 mm;

styles 4.
Pomes

reddish to yellow, suborbicular, 8–10 mm diam., glabrous;

sepals erose or patent;

pyrenes 2 or 3.

pink mauve, ripening to orange-red or purplish, 10–14 mm diam., pruinose at first;

sepals not on collar, spreading;

pyrenes 3 or 4.
2n

= 68.

Crataegus berberifolia

Crataegus suborbiculata
Phenology Flowering May–Jun; fruiting Sep–Oct.
Habitat Woodland margins, brush
Elevation 50–300 m (200–1000 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AR; FL; GA; KS; LA; MO; MS; NC; SC; TN
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CT; MI; NY; ON; QC
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

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.)

Of conservation concern.

Crataegus suborbiculata is uncommon but is found in a number of locations in southern Ontario, and extends east to Quebec, New York, and Connecticut, and west to Michigan. Fruiting specimens, seemingly of this species but in poor condition, have been collected along the Skyline Drive of Virginia.

Very rare forms with slight inflorescence pilosity may occur and then Crataegus suborbiculata may look very much like some forms of C. florifera (ser. Anomalae), which is distinguished by its pyrenes. One large Ontario population is rather similar to C. compacta except that it is larger in all its parts and has proportionately slightly wider leaves. Very rare forms with narrower leaves (elliptic-rhombic) and small anthers may be referred to C. nitidula Sargent, known from southern Ontario, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Forms named C. umbratilis Sargent from Connecticut and Pennsylvania have slightly larger, more venous leaves with larger marginal teeth than the above and an elevated calyx in fruit. The poorly understood C. durobrivensis Sargent was suggested by E. J. Palmer (1952) to be a hybrid with C. pruinosa.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Key
1. Stamens 20, anthers usually cream; flowers 16–20 mm diam.
var. berberifolia
1. Stamens 10, anthers usually pink; flowers 10–15 mm diam.
var. engelmannii
Source FNA vol. 9, p. 540. FNA vol. 9, p. 574.
Parent taxa Rosaceae > subfam. Amygdaloideae > tribe Maleae > Crataegus > sect. Coccineae > ser. Crus-galli Rosaceae > subfam. Amygdaloideae > tribe Maleae > Crataegus > sect. Coccineae > ser. Pruinosae
Sibling taxa
C. aemula, C. aestivalis, C. alabamensis, C. alleghaniensis, C. annosa, C. aprica, C. aquacervensis, C. ashei, C. atrovirens, C. attrita, C. austromontana, C. beata, C. biltmoreana, C. brachyacantha, C. brainerdii, C. brazoria, C. brittonii, C. buckleyi, C. calpodendron, C. castlegarensis, C. chrysocarpa, C. coccinea, C. coccinioides, C. cognata, C. collina, C. colonica, C. communis, C. compacta, C. condigna, C. craytonii, C. crocea, C. crus-galli, C. cupressocollina, C. delawarensis, C. dispar, C. dodgei, C. douglasii, C. egens, C. egregia, C. enderbyensis, C. erythropoda, C. exilis, C. eximia, C. extraria, C. fecunda, C. flabellata, C. flava, C. florens, C. floridana, C. florifera, C. fluviatilis, C. formosa, C. frugiferens, C. furtiva, C. gattingeri, C. gaylussacia, C. gilva, C. greggiana, C. harbisonii, C. holmesiana, C. ignava, C. incilis, C. integra, C. intricata, C. invicta, C. iracunda, C. irrasa, C. jesupii, C. jonesiae, C. lacrimata, C. laevigata, C. lanata, C. lancei, C. lanuginosa, C. lassa, C. laurentiana, C. leonensis, C. lepida, C. levis, C. lumaria, C. macracantha, C. macrosperma, C. magniflora, C. margarettae, C. marshallii, C. mendosa, C. meridiana, C. mira, C. mollis, C. monogyna, C. munda, C. nananixonii, C. neobushii, C. nitida, C. oakesiana, C. okanaganensis, C. okennonii, C. opaca, C. opima, C. orbicularis, C. ouachitensis, C. padifolia, C. pennsylvanica, C. persimilis, C. pexa, C. phaenopyrum, C. phippsii, C. pinetorum, C. populnea, C. prona, C. pruinosa, C. pulcherrima, C. punctata, C. purpurella, C. quaesita, C. reverchonii, C. rivularis, C. rivuloadamensis, C. rivulopugnensis, C. roribacca, C. rubella, C. rubribracteolata, C. saligna, C. sargentii, C. scabrida, C. schizophylla, C. schuettei, C. segnis, C. senta, C. sheila-phippsiae, C. sheridana, C. shuswapensis, C. sororia, C. spathulata, C. spes-aestatum, C. stolonifera, C. stonei, C. submollis, C. suborbiculata, C. succulenta, C. tecta, C. teres, C. texana, C. tracyi, C. triflora, C. turnerorum, C. uniflora, C. ursopedensis, C. venusta, C. viridis, C. visenda, C. wattiana, C. williamsii, C. wootoniana, C. ×atrorubens, C. ×bicknellii, C. ×coleae, C. ×collicola, C. ×disperma, C. ×dispessa, C. ×fretalis, C. ×incaedua, C. ×kelloggii, C. ×latebrosa, C. ×lucorum, C. ×rufula, C. ×sicca, C. ×vailiae
C. aemula, C. aestivalis, C. alabamensis, C. alleghaniensis, C. annosa, C. aprica, C. aquacervensis, C. ashei, C. atrovirens, C. attrita, C. austromontana, C. beata, C. berberifolia, C. biltmoreana, C. brachyacantha, C. brainerdii, C. brazoria, C. brittonii, C. buckleyi, C. calpodendron, C. castlegarensis, C. chrysocarpa, C. coccinea, C. coccinioides, C. cognata, C. collina, C. colonica, C. communis, C. compacta, C. condigna, C. craytonii, C. crocea, C. crus-galli, C. cupressocollina, C. delawarensis, C. dispar, C. dodgei, C. douglasii, C. egens, C. egregia, C. enderbyensis, C. erythropoda, C. exilis, C. eximia, C. extraria, C. fecunda, C. flabellata, C. flava, C. florens, C. floridana, C. florifera, C. fluviatilis, C. formosa, C. frugiferens, C. furtiva, C. gattingeri, C. gaylussacia, C. gilva, C. greggiana, C. harbisonii, C. holmesiana, C. ignava, C. incilis, C. integra, C. intricata, C. invicta, C. iracunda, C. irrasa, C. jesupii, C. jonesiae, C. lacrimata, C. laevigata, C. lanata, C. lancei, C. lanuginosa, C. lassa, C. laurentiana, C. leonensis, C. lepida, C. levis, C. lumaria, C. macracantha, C. macrosperma, C. magniflora, C. margarettae, C. marshallii, C. mendosa, C. meridiana, C. mira, C. mollis, C. monogyna, C. munda, C. nananixonii, C. neobushii, C. nitida, C. oakesiana, C. okanaganensis, C. okennonii, C. opaca, C. opima, C. orbicularis, C. ouachitensis, C. padifolia, C. pennsylvanica, C. persimilis, C. pexa, C. phaenopyrum, C. phippsii, C. pinetorum, C. populnea, C. prona, C. pruinosa, C. pulcherrima, C. punctata, C. purpurella, C. quaesita, C. reverchonii, C. rivularis, C. rivuloadamensis, C. rivulopugnensis, C. roribacca, C. rubella, C. rubribracteolata, C. saligna, C. sargentii, C. scabrida, C. schizophylla, C. schuettei, C. segnis, C. senta, C. sheila-phippsiae, C. sheridana, C. shuswapensis, C. sororia, C. spathulata, C. spes-aestatum, C. stolonifera, C. stonei, C. submollis, C. succulenta, C. tecta, C. teres, C. texana, C. tracyi, C. triflora, C. turnerorum, C. uniflora, C. ursopedensis, C. venusta, C. viridis, C. visenda, C. wattiana, C. williamsii, C. wootoniana, C. ×atrorubens, C. ×bicknellii, C. ×coleae, C. ×collicola, C. ×disperma, C. ×dispessa, C. ×fretalis, C. ×incaedua, C. ×kelloggii, C. ×latebrosa, C. ×lucorum, C. ×rufula, C. ×sicca, C. ×vailiae
Subordinate taxa
C. berberifolia var. berberifolia, C. berberifolia var. engelmannii
Name authority Torrey & A. Gray: Fl. N. Amer. 1: 469. (1840) Sargent: Rhodora 3: 72. (1901)
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



Type/paste one or more Latin names into the boxes above; matching taxa will show up below the box as you type. You can use the up/down arrow keys to move through the list.

(If the plant you're looking for doesn't show up in the auto-complete list, that means it either isn't described in Flora of North America yet, or it's listed under a synonym. And please note that Flora of North America is still missing several plant families, including Fabaceae, Apiaceae, Boraginaceae, and Polemoniaceae.)

Choose a data source: Flora of North America

The species comparison tool is brought to you by:
Northwest Wildflowers