Flora of North America species comparison

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Crataegus ouachitensis

aubépine flabelliforme, fan-leaf hawthorn

Ouachita hawthorn

Habit

Shrubs or trees, 40–50 dm.

Shrubs or trees, 40–60 dm.

Stems

twigs: new growth reddish at first, usually sparsely pubescent, 1-year old deep chestnut brown, older dull gray;

thorns on twigs 1-year old shiny, dark brown, stout to slender, 4–6 cm.

twigs: new growth not recorded, 1-year old dark purplish, older gray;

thorns on twigs ± straight, 2-years old dark purple, fine, 2–4 cm.

Leaves

petiole 1–2 mm wide, length 40–50% blade, glandular;

blade glossy, dark green, broadly elliptic to ovate, 4–7 cm, base cuneate to slightly rounded, lobes 4 or 5 per side, sinuses deep, lobe apex acuminate, margins sharply serrate, teeth gland-tipped, veins 5 or 6 per side, apex acute, abaxial surface glabrous except along veins, adaxial densely appressed-scabrous young, glabrescent.

petiole very slender, 0.5 mm wide, length ca. equal to or 50–66% blade, sparsely hairy or glabrous, slightly glandular or eglandular;

blade ovate to deltate-ovate, (2–)3–4 cm, thin, base broadly rounded to nearly truncate or subcordate, lobes 1–3 per side obscure, sinuses shallow, lobe apex subacute, margins sharply serrate nearly to base, veins 3 per side, apex acuminate, abaxial surface sparsely to ± densely hairy on veins, adaxial variable scabrous, glabrescent.

Inflorescences

5–10-flowered;

branches villous;

bracteole frequency not recorded, linear.

3–8-flowered;

branches glabrous or sparsely villous;

bracteoles not recorded.

Pedicels

glabrous or ± tomentose young.

Flowers

13–17 mm diam.;

hypanthium glabrous or villous at base;

sepals 4–5 mm, margins entire, glandular to glandular-serrate, rarely nearly eglandular, apex acute, abaxial pubescence not recorded;

stamens 5–10 or 20, anthers usually pink;

styles 3–5.

15–18 mm diam.;

hypanthium not seen;

sepal length not recorded, margins glandular-serrate or subentire;

stamens 20, anthers pink or rose to rose-purple;

styles 3 or 4.

Pomes

crimson, ± ellipsoid, 8–10 mm diam., sometimes ± pruinose;

sepals spreading or usually erose, not or obscurely elevated;

pyrenes 3–5, dorsally deeply grooved.

green until late, becoming bright red, obovoid to pyriform, 8–15 mm diam., glabrous;

flesh hard;

sepals on collar, strongly reflexed;

pyrenes 3 or 4.

= 51.

Crataegus flabellata

Crataegus ouachitensis

Phenology

Flowering May–Jun; fruiting Sep–Oct.

Habitat

Brush, successional fields, fencelines, woodland edges, open woodlands

Elevation

10–200 m (0–700 ft)

Distribution

CT; MA; ME; NH; NY; VT; NB; NS; ON; QC

[WildflowerSearch map]

Discussion

Crataegus flabellata occurs along the Niagara Escarpment in Ontario, on both sides of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence, to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, and to Massachusetts. Reports for Newfoundland have not been substantiated.

Crataegus flabellata is distinctive with its leaf blades glossy dark green, ovate to broadly elliptic, cuneate at the base, and with deep acuminate lobes. Specimens with less glandularity or serration of the sepal margins may resemble C. fluviatilis. In spite of the obvious differences in morphology and range, C. flabellata and C. macrosperma often have been combined by floristicians. From C. chrysocarpa, C. flabellata is distinguished by its shinier, ellipsoid, glabrous fruit, by the usually deeper, acuminate lobes of its glossy, dark green leaves, and by longer, slightly more acute sepals. Typically, the inflorescences and hypanthia of eastern C. chrysocarpa are densely hairy, practically tomentose, unlike C. flabellata with its more sparsely hairy pedicels and glabrous distal hypanthia. It is conceivable that, due to morphological intermediacy and the sympatry of all three species within the range of C. flabellata, this species represents the result of ancient hybridization between C. chrysocarpa and C. macrosperma.

Crataegus flabellata is usually divided into two varieties: var. flabellata (10 stamens) and var. grayana (20 stamens), the latter being particularly common in southern Quebec. There appears to be little, if any, other constant differentiating feature. Crataegus crudelis, also from Quebec, is a form recognized by long thorns (to 10 cm).

The name Crataegus densiflora Sargent, which pertains to C. flabellata, is illegitimate.

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

Varieties 2.

Crataegus ouachitensis is endemic to the Ouachita Mountains. Among ser. Intricatae, the species is distinct because of its small leaves, only slightly glandular nature, 20 stamens, and bright red pomes. The delicate leaves and pome color recall C. wootoniana (ser. Tenuifoliae). Crataegus ouachitensis is also similar to Louisianan 58. C. iracunda, differing primarily in having 20 stamens and conspicuously glandular-serrate sepal margins in the type form. Crataegus ouachitensis is very rare and likely of interserial hybrid origin, though it could also plausibly be referred to ser. Pulcherrimae. Crataegus thermopegea E. J. Palmer, from the same area, is perhaps related; it has laterally pitted pyrenes and probably ten stamens, according to Palmer.

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

Key

1. Petioles 50–66% length of blade; inflorescence branches glabrous; pedicels glabrous; sepal margins glandular-serrate.	var. ouachitensis
1. Petioles ca. equal to length of blade; inflorescence branches sparsely villous; pedicels ± tomentose young; sepal margins subentire.	var. minor

Source

FNA vol. 9, p. 567.

FNA vol. 9, p. 591.

Parent taxa

Rosaceae > subfam. Amygdaloideae > tribe Maleae > Crataegus > sect. Coccineae > ser. Tenuifoliae

Rosaceae > subfam. Amygdaloideae > tribe Maleae > Crataegus > sect. Coccineae > ser. Intricatae

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. douglasii, C. egens, C. egregia, C. enderbyensis, C. erythropoda, C. exilis, C. eximia, C. extraria, C. fecunda, 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. 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. ouachitensis var. minor, C. ouachitensis var. ouachitensis

Synonyms

Mespilus flabellata, C. crudelis, C. flabellata var. densiflora, C. flabellata var. grayana, C. grayana

Name authority

(Bosc ex Spach) K. Koch: Verh. Vereins Beförd. Gartenbaues Königl. Preuss. Staaten, ser. 2, 1: 240. (1853)

E. J. Palmer: J. Arnold Arbor. 7: 124. (1926)

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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