Flora of North America species comparison

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Crataegus douglasii

Crataegus chrysocarpa

black hawthorn, Douglas' hawthorn

aubépine dorée, Columbia hawthorn, fireberry hawthorn, goldenberry hawthorn, Piper's hawthorn
Habit Shrubs, 40–80 dm. Shrubs, 20–35 dm, sometimes clonal.
Stems

1-year old twigs deep tan to dark mahogany, ± shiny young, older gray to dark gray, often showing brown or alternatively tan-brown eastward;

thorns on twigs straight or slightly recurved, deep brown young, (1.5–)2–3.5 cm.

twigs: new growth usually appressed-pubescent, 1-year old usually dull yellowish to greenish brown or gray-brown to light or dark tan;

thorns on twigs variable, straight to slightly recurved, 1-year old shiny, dark mahogany or black, ± slender to ± stout, 3–6 cm.
Leaves

petiole 0.7–1.5 cm, pubescent young, slightly glandular;

blade usually elliptic to broadly elliptic or subrhombic (elliptic-obovate when lobes very small), 4–7 cm, lobes 2–4 per side, sinuses shallow, LII 10–20%, lobe apex subobtuse to acute, margins coarsely, sharply serrate, teeth small, gland-tipped young, venation craspedodromous, veins 4 or 5 per side, apex acute to obtuse, abaxial surface usually glabrous except on veins, adaxial densely short-appressed-pubescent.

petiole length 50% blade, usually narrowly winged distally, pubescent, glandular young, often persisting;

blade yellow or purplish in very dry spots (fall), ± rhombic to rhombic-ovate, rhombic-obovate, or ovate to broadly elliptic, on extension shoots similar, larger, 2–5(–7.5) cm, thin to chartaceous, base ± cuneate, sometimes rounded to broadly ovate (at early anthesis not strikingly flabellate), lobes 2–4(–6) per side, sinuses moderately deep, lobe apex acute to subacute, margins serrate, teeth glands caducous, numerous, small, veins 3–5(–7) per side, apex acute or subacute, abaxial surface glabrous, sparsely pilose-glabrescent, or villous, veins usually pubescent, adaxial appressed-scabrous, glabrescent or short-appressed-pubescent.
Inflorescences

10–25-flowered;

branches glabrous;

bracteole margins stipitate- or sessile-glandular.

5–10-flowered, compact;

branches sparsely to densely villous, rarely glabrous;

bracteoles usually hyaline, linear, membranous, margins sessile- or short-stipitate-glandular.
Flowers

10–15 mm diam.;

hypanthium glabrous;

sepals broadly triangular, 3–4 mm, margins sparsely glandular, adaxially glabrous;

stamens 10, anthers pink;

styles 3 or 4.

15–20 mm diam.;

hypanthium usually villous, sometimes glabrous;

sepals triangular, 4 mm, margins glandular-serrate, apex subacute to obtuse, abaxially pubescent;

stamens (5–)10(or 20), anthers cream or ivory, sometimes pink;

styles 3 or 4(or 5).
Pomes

vinous and usually waxy glaucous young, dull black mature, usually ellipsoid, 6–8 mm diam., glabrous;

sepal remnants reflexed, apex obtuse;

pyrenes 3 or 4, sides excavated, sometimes only shallowly.

scarlet to deep red, only darkened to burgundy if dried and shriveled (except in var. vernonensis), usually suborbicular to broadly ellipsoid or oblong, 8–10(–12) mm diam., pubescent or glabrous;

sepal remnants present, spreading to reflexed, not or rarely obscurely elevated;

pyrenes 3 or 4(or 5).
2n

= 68.

= 68.

Crataegus douglasii

Crataegus chrysocarpa
Phenology Flowering May–Jun; fruiting Sep–Oct.
Habitat Brush, old fields, fencerows, woodland edges
Elevation 50–1600 m (200–5200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AK; CA; ID; MI; MN; MT; OR; WA; WI; AB; BC; ON; SK
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO; CT; IA; ID; IL; MA; ME; MI; MN; MT; ND; NH; NY; OR; RI; SD; UT; VT; WA; WI; WY; AB; BC; MB; NB; NF; NS; ON; PE; QC; SK
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Crataegus douglasii occurs from southern and western British Columbia to the panhandle of Alaska and ranges to northern California and the Rocky Mountains of Idaho, Montana, and southwestern Alberta. Disjunct populations occur farther east in the Cypress Hills (Alberta and Saskatchewan), the Montana montane islands, and around the northern Great Lakes. In western North America, C. douglasii is found mainly near water in drier areas; in more mesic regions, it may occur in open woodlands. In the Great Lakes area, it mainly occurs in old pastures and on fencerows.

Crataegus douglasii is distinguished from C. gaylussacia by having ten stamens and is rather variable in leaf shape and size. The species is distinguished from C. okennonii by the latter usually being taller and typically more erect as well as having a usually straight, single trunk, shorter thorns, ampulliform-orbicular fruit, and often purplish crimson fall foliage. Crataegus castlegarensis is the most similar species, and beyond possessing relatively few to many multiple thorns, it is distinguished from C. douglasii by its hairy hypanthia, pedicels, and, often, fruit, which is orbicular, plump, crimson to purple in late August, ripening to deep purple (sometimes black) at a time when sympatric C. douglasii is fully black.

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

Varieties 9 (9 in the flora).

Crataegus chrysocarpa is one of the most wide-ranging North American species of the genus, occurring from inland of the Cascades and Coastal Ranges of Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia to the Atlantic from Newfoundland to New England; it is correspondingly variable. Ashe’s type from the Rocky Mountain foothills in northern Colorado is from the south of the range. East of the Rocky Mountains, C. chrysocarpa is the most northerly and cold-adapted species of hawthorn in North America and nearly reaches Hudson Bay in Ontario. Rare northeastern forms are arborescent (to 70 dm).

Variety chrysocarpa is by far the most common form through most of the species range; numerous well-marked to only slightly different forms, many accepted here at varietal level, occur in different parts of the range. The main regional variant is var. piperi, a well-marked intermontane form.

One to two year old twigs of var. chrysocarpa are much darker in the east (reddish tan or darker) than in the west (light tan to gray-brown).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Key
1. Stamens 20
→ 2
1. Stamens 5–10
→ 3
2. Anthers cream or ivory.
var. vigintistamina
2. Anthers pink.
var. blanchardii
3. Inflorescence branches lanate; anthers pale pink; fully ripe pomes burgundy.
var. vernonensis
3. Inflorescence branches glabrous or pubescent, sparsely to densely villous, or thin-pilose; anthers cream to ivory, sometimes pink; fully ripe pomes red
→ 4
4. Abaxial leaf surfaces persistently hairy (rough-pubescent or with scattered long hairs)
→ 5
4. Abaxial leaf surfaces glabrous, veins sometimes pilose
→ 6
5. Leaf blades ovate to broadly ovate or broadly elliptic, bases rounded to broadly cuneate, lobe apices subacute, max LII 5–10%, veins 6 or 7 per side; Great Lakes region and eastwards.
var. faxonii
5. Leaf blades rhombic to narrowly rhombic or rhombic-elliptic, bases ± cuneate, lobe apices acute, max LII 15–20%, veins 5 or 6 per side; Pacific Northwest and adjacent Canada.
var. piperi
6. Anthers pink.
var. praecox
6. Anthers cream or ivory
→ 7
7. Inflorescence branches glabrous; leaf surfaces: adaxial glabrous young.
var. phoeniceoides
7. Inflorescence branches sparsely to densely villous or thin-pilose; leaf surfaces: adaxial appressed-short-pubescent or appressed-pubescent young, glabrescent or becoming short scabrous
→ 8
8. Hypanthia densely villous.
var. chrysocarpa
8. Hypanthia glabrous.
var. subrotundifolia
Source FNA vol. 9, p. 512. FNA vol. 9, p. 597.
Parent taxa Rosaceae > subfam. Amygdaloideae > tribe Maleae > Crataegus > sect. Douglasia > ser. Douglasianae Rosaceae > subfam. Amygdaloideae > tribe Maleae > Crataegus > sect. Coccineae > ser. Rotundifoliae
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. 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. 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. 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
Subordinate taxa
C. chrysocarpa var. blanchardii, C. chrysocarpa var. chrysocarpa, C. chrysocarpa var. faxonii, C. chrysocarpa var. phoeniceoides, C. chrysocarpa var. piperi, C. chrysocarpa var. praecox, C. chrysocarpa var. subrotundifolia, C. chrysocarpa var. vernonensis, C. chrysocarpa var. vigintistamina
Synonyms C. columbiana, C. tennowana C. columbiana var. chrysocarpa, C. rotundifolia var. chrysocarpa
Name authority Lindley: Edwards's Bot. Reg. 21: plate 1810. (1835) Ashe: Bull. North Carolina Agric. Exp. Sta. 175: 110. (1900)
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).



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