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aubépine succulente, fleshy hawthorn, succulent hawthorn

Okanagan hawthorn, Okanagan Valley hawthorn

Habit Shrubs or trees, 40–80 dm. Shrubs, often multi-trunked, 30–60 dm.
Stems

older trunks usually bearing compound thorns;

twigs: new growth reddish green, glabrous, 1-year old dark, shiny red-brown, 2–3-years old becoming dark gray, older ± paler gray;

thorns on twigs numerous, usually recurved, shiny, 1-year old dark blackish brown, stout, 3–6(–8) cm.

twigs: new growth sparsely pubescent, 1-year old mid to dark brown;

thorns on twigs recurved, deep brown, shiny young, usually stout, 2–4(–5) cm.

Leaves

petiole 1–2 cm, narrowly winged distally, glabrous, eglandular;

blade rhombic-elliptic to broadly rhombic-ovate or elliptic, 4–7 cm widest near middle, subcoriaceous mature (then often blue-green), base cuneate (constricted), lobes 3–5 per side, obscure to well-marked, sinuses shallow, lobe apex usually subacute to obtuse, margins serrate except proximally, veins 6–8 per side, impressed, apex acute to subacute, rarely obtuse, abaxial surface glabrous, adaxial scabrate-pubescent young.

petiole 1–2 cm, sparsely hairy, eglandular or glandular when young;

blade glossy especially when young, expanding leaves often reddish, glabrescent, ± ovate to ovate-rhombic or ± oblong, 3.5–6 cm, ± coriaceous, base rounded to cuneate, lobes 0–4 per side (3–4 per side, well defined in ± ovate to ovate-rhombic leaves; 0–3 per side, distinct in apical 1/2 only in ± oblong leaves), lobe apex acute, margins finely, doubly serrate, veins 4 or 5 per side, ± impressed adaxially, apex acute, abaxial surface glabrous, veins hairy, adaxial densely appressed-hairy.

Inflorescences

15–30-flowered;

branches pubescent or glabrous;

bracteoles linear, 1.7 cm, margins glandular.

10–20-flowered;

branches ± villous, gland-dotted;

bracteole margins glandular (glands near base stipitate only in larger bracteoles).

Flowers

12–17 mm diam.;

hypanthium glabrous or pubescent;

sepals narrowly triangular, 4–6 mm, margins glandular-serrate to glandular-laciniate, abaxially glabrous, adaxial pubescence not recorded;

stamens 20, anthers usually red or pink, rarely white, 0.5–0.7 mm;

styles 2 or 3.

notably cup-shaped young, 12–15 mm diam.;

hypanthium villous (at base) or glabrous;

sepals narrowly triangular, 4–6 mm, margins finely glandular-serrate, abaxially sparsely hairy;

stamens 5 or 10, anthers ivory, rarely very pale pink;

styles 2–4.

Pomes

bright or deep red, lustrous, suborbicular, (4–)7–10(–14) mm diam., glabrous, rarely pubescent;

flesh mealy or succulent mature;

sepals spreading-reflexed;

pyrenes 2 or 3, sides pitted.

bright red young (mid late Aug), older usually burgundy to deep purple, sometimes almost black (mid Sep), ovoid and 8 mm diam., or orbicular and 10 mm diam., glabrous or hairy;

sepals reflexed, sometimes erect-patent, narrow, 5–7 mm;

pyrenes 2–4, sides ± eroded.

2n

= 51.

Crataegus succulenta

Crataegus okanaganensis

Distribution
from FNA
CT; IA; IL; IN; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; NC; NH; NY; OH; PA; RI; TN; VA; VT; WI; WV; MB; ON; QC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
ID; WA; BC
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 5 (5 in the flora).

Crataegus succulenta ranges through the southern Great Lakes area to the middle St. Lawrence and southern New England, to Minnesota, to Iowa, Missouri (very rare), and Ohio, the Appalachians to North Carolina. An outlier has recently been recognized in Manitoba.

The dark twig colors of Crataegus succulenta are dramatic in winter and the coral red expanding bud scales are conspicuous in spring, more so than in most other species of hawthorn except C. macracantha. In summer, its commonly bluish green leaves, eglandular petioles, and impressed venation combine with thorn and twig characteristics to make this and C. macracantha usually instantly recognizable.

Crataegus succulenta often forms suckering thickets in the north.

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

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

Crataegus okanaganensis is widely distributed and common from the Okanagan valley of southern British Columbia and northern Washington to northern Idaho.

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

Key
1. Leaf blades proportionately narrow (1.6–2:1), elliptic to rhombic-elliptic or narrowly ovate
var. neofluvialis
1. Leaf blades proportionately wide (1.3–1.6:1), ovate to broadly rhombic-ovate or broadly elliptic
→ 2
2. Pomes 4–6 mm diam.
var. pisifera
2. Pomes 7–14 mm diam
→ 3
3. Pomes 12–14 mm diam.
var. gemmosa
3. Pomes 7–10 mm diam
→ 4
4. Anthers red or pink.
var. succulenta
4. Anthers white.
var. michiganensis
1. Leaf blades ± ovate to ovate-rhombic, lobes well defined; leaves ± bronze in fall; pomes pendent, ovoid.
var. okanaganensis
1. Leaf blades ± oblong, lobes absent or short and only in distal 1/2; leaves crimson or pink burgundy in fall; pomes ± erect, orbicular.
var. wellsii
Source FNA vol. 9, p. 518. FNA vol. 9, p. 504.
Parent taxa Rosaceae > subfam. Amygdaloideae > tribe Maleae > Crataegus > sect. Macracanthae > ser. Macracanthae Rosaceae > subfam. Amygdaloideae > tribe Maleae > Crataegus > sect. Douglasia > ser. Purpureofructus
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. 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. 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. 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. succulenta var. gemmosa, C. succulenta var. michiganensis, C. succulenta var. neofluvialis, C. succulenta var. pisifera, C. succulenta var. succulenta
C. okanaganensis var. okanaganensis, C. okanaganensis var. wellsii
Name authority Schrader ex Link: Handbuch 2: 78. (1831) J. B. Phipps & O'Kennon: Sida 18: 178, figs. 5, 9d–f. (1998)
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