Flora of North America species comparison

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Crataegus succulenta

Crataegus ouachitensis

aubépine succulente, fleshy hawthorn, succulent hawthorn

Ouachita hawthorn
Habit Shrubs or trees, 40–80 dm. Shrubs or trees, 40–60 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 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 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 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

15–30-flowered;

branches pubescent or glabrous;

bracteoles linear, 1.7 cm, margins glandular.

3–8-flowered;

branches glabrous or sparsely villous;

bracteoles not recorded.
Pedicels

glabrous or ± tomentose young.
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.

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

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.

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.
2n

= 51.

Crataegus succulenta

Crataegus ouachitensis
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
AR
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.

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. 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. 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. 518. FNA vol. 9, p. 591.
Parent taxa Rosaceae > subfam. Amygdaloideae > tribe Maleae > Crataegus > sect. Macracanthae > ser. Macracanthae 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. 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. 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. succulenta var. gemmosa, C. succulenta var. michiganensis, C. succulenta var. neofluvialis, C. succulenta var. pisifera, C. succulenta var. succulenta
C. ouachitensis var. minor, C. ouachitensis var. ouachitensis
Name authority Schrader ex Link: Handbuch 2: 78. (1831) 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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