Crataegus phaenopyrum |
Crataegus lepida |
|
---|---|---|
Washington hawthorn, Washington thorn |
dwarf hawthorn |
|
Habit | Trees, 40–100 dm. | Shrubs, 5–10(–20) dm, dense and twiggy, branches not weeping except in larger specimens, capable of flowering at 3 dm. |
Stems | 3-year old twigs shiny, deep reddish brown, older dark gray; thorns on twigs ± straight, 2–5 cm. |
trunk bark dark gray, scaly; twigs: new growth appressed-pubescent, 1-year old brown, slender; thorns on twigs straight, 1–2-years old color not recorded, fine, 0.6–2 cm. |
Leaves | petiole slender, sometimes both abaxially and adaxially short rusty-tomentose, eglandular; blade broadly to narrowly deltate, 3–6 cm, base truncate to rarely cuneate or cordate, sometimes very shallowly so, lobes palmately or pinnately 2(or 3) per side, margins serrulate, veins 6 or 7(or 8) per side (to sinuses), apex acute, surfaces glabrous. |
late deciduous to wintergreen; stipules herbaceous, falcate, margins glandular; petiole length 15–30% blade, winged distally, pubescent, glandular; blade deep green, broadly obovate to ± isodiametric, 0.6–1.5 cm, coriaceous, base abruptly contracted, lobes 0 or 1 per side, subterminal, barely bumps, sinuses extremely shallow, lobe apex obtuse, margins minutely glandular-crenate to sometimes with conspicuous, glandular-scalloped teeth distally, veins 1 or 2 per side, apex obtuse or with slight apiculus, ± glossy, abaxial surface pubescent, especially on veins, adaxial very sparsely appressed-pilose young, particularly so on veins. |
Inflorescences | 15–30-flowered, flowers strong-smelling; branches glabrous; bracteole margins stipitate-glandular. |
1–3-flowered; branches appressed-pubescent; bracteoles linear, gland-margined. |
Flowers | 10–12 mm diam.; hypanthium glabrous; sepals 2 mm; stamens 20, anthers ivory; styles 3(or 4). |
12 mm diam.; hypanthium pubescent; sepals triangular, margins ± entire, abaxially pubescent; anthers ivory; styles 3 or 4. |
Pomes | yellow-green to yellow or orange, broadly ellipsoid to suborbicular, 8–13 mm diam., black gland-dotted, pubescent; sepals broken off or recurved; pyrenes 3. |
|
2n | = 51, 68. |
= 51, 68. |
Crataegus phaenopyrum |
Crataegus lepida |
|
Phenology | Flowering Jun; fruiting Sep–Nov. | Flowering Apr–May; fruiting Jul–Aug. |
Habitat | Woodland edges, gaps, scrub, damp locations | Dwarf scrub, sandy areas including inland dunes |
Elevation | 10–300 m (0–1000 ft) | 0–100 m (0–300 ft) |
Distribution |
AR; DE; FL; GA; IL; IN; KY; LA; MD; MI; MO; MS; NC; OH; OR; PA; SC; TN; VA; WA; WV; ON
|
FL; GA; SC |
Discussion | Crataegus phaenopyrum has a wide native range across the middle latitudes of the United States from Missouri to Maryland and southward but is not particularly abundant. In the northern and western states and Ontario, it is introduced. All alleged specimens for Alabama proved to be wrongly identified (J. B. Phipps 1998). The flowering season of the Washington thorn is the latest of all North American hawthorns. The species is one of the most widely planted ornamentals in the genus, being elegantly treelike and possessing beautiful, remarkably rust-resistant foliage at all seasons as well as attractive flowers and fruit. Several cultivars are known. Crataegus cordata (Miller) Aiton 1789 (= Mespilus cordata Miller 1757) was commonly used for C. phaenopyrum until the early 20th century (J. B. Phipps 1999). (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Of conservation concern. Crataegus lepida is a scarce, distinctive species occurring at scattered localities from central Florida to southern Georgia and South Carolina. A sterile specimen from Louisiana (Thomas 57507) may be this species. In central Florida, plants of Crataegus lepida start their extension growth and flower in May, long after growth of other nearby plants has started, while further north anthesis about the second week of April is usual. The southern populations are also the most wintergreen in the species. Thus, the central Florida plants appear to be ecophysiologically distinct and should be investigated further. Particularly small-leaved specimens with numerous, small, sharp marginal teeth may represent C. garrettii of Murrill. Crataegus lepida is a dwarf semi-evergreen shrub with dark, glossy, often suborbiculate leaves that are striking in the field. Larger specimens might be confused with C. egens. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 9, p. 499. | FNA vol. 9, p. 621. |
Parent taxa | Rosaceae > subfam. Amygdaloideae > tribe Maleae > Crataegus > sect. Crataegus > ser. Cordatae | Rosaceae > subfam. Amygdaloideae > tribe Maleae > Crataegus > sect. Coccineae > ser. Lacrimatae |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Mespilus phaenopyrum, C. youngii | |
Name authority | (Linnaeus f.) Medikus: Gesch. Bot., 84. (1793) | Beadle: Biltmore Bot. Stud. 1: 36. (1901) |
Web links |
|