Crataegus florens

Beadle

Biltmore Bot. Stud. 1: 94. 1902.

Endemic
Synonyms: Crataegus alabamensis var. florens (Beadle) Lance
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 9. Treatment on page 628. Mentioned on page 621, 625, 629.

Shrubs or trees, 30–60 dm, branches ± weeping. Stems: twigs: new growth sparsely to densely spreading-pubescent, 1-year old tawny to reddish-brown, 2-years old dark gray; thorns on twigs usually numerous, straight to slightly decurved, 2-years old shiny blackish gray, ± fine to ± stout, 2–4.5 cm. Leaves: petiole length 25–33% blade, ± pilose young, glandular; blade dark green mature adaxially, narrowly obovate to obovate, 2–4.5 cm, thin, slightly coriaceous, base abruptly tapered, lobes 0, or 1 or 2 per side distally, obscure, lobe apex obtuse to subacute, margins ± coarsely glandular-serrate, veins (1 or) 2–4 per side, apex often ± cuspidate, adaxially shiny mature, surfaces glabrous, veins sparsely pubescent; on extension shoots broadly elliptic to ± orbiculate, larger, often slightly incised, strongly serrate. Inflorescences 3–6-flowered; branches sparsely to moderately pilose; bracteoles caducous, linear, margins glandular. Flowers 15–18 (–25) mm diam.; hypanthium sparsely pubescent; sepals narrowly triangular, 4–5 mm, margins glandular-serrate, adaxially sparsely hirsute; anthers pale-yellow; styles 3 (–5). Pomes orange-red to red, suborbicular, 8–15 mm diam., glabrous; sepals spreading, 7 mm; pyrenes 3 (–5).


Phenology: Flowering Mar–Apr; fruiting Aug–Sep.
Habitat: Brush on sand plains
Elevation: 0–200 m

Distribution

V9 1077-distribution-map.jpg

Ala., Fla., Ga., La., Miss., N.C., S.C.

Discussion

Crataegus florens occurs mainly from central Mississippi to the Carolinas and extreme northern Florida; it is common in central Alabama and is disjunct in West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana. The species may occur in more mesic habitats than other members of ser. Lacrimatae.

The type form of Crataegus florens has the smallest, least strongly serrate leaves, veins 2 or 3 per side, and largest flowers, but the circumscription is here expanded to include forms of smaller flower dimensions and with larger, more strongly serrate leaves, including those with 3 or 4 veins per side. As such, C. florens is a fairly common and striking plant with its glossy, deep green leaves, thus superficially resembling members of ser. Crus-galli except for the strongly flexuous twigs. Except for its type form, which is uncommon, it flowers before most other sympatric members of ser. Lacrimatae. Differences from C. attrita, to which it is most similar, and C. teres are given in the key and discussed under those species.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"thin" is not a number."pilose" is not a number."adnate" is not a number."dm" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property.

... more about "Crataegus florens"
0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br /> (2.5 cm25 mm <br />0.025 m <br />) +
pale-yellow +
obtuse;acute +
James B. Phipps +
Beadle +
thin-exfoliating +  and corrugated +
compound +  and simple +
opposite +  and alternate +
tapered +
8 cm80 mm <br />0.08 m <br /> (12 cm120 mm <br />0.12 m <br />) +
narrowly obovate +  and obovate +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (4.5 cm45 mm <br />0.045 m <br />) +
coriaceous +
adnate +  and distinct +
crowded +, scattered +  and alternate +
spreading +  and pendulous +
Ala. +, Fla. +, Ga. +, La. +, Miss. +, N.C. +  and S.C. +
not +  and aggregated +
0–200 m +
broadly elliptic +  and more or less orbiculate +
1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br /> (1.8 cm18 mm <br />0.018 m <br />) +
unisexual +  and bisexual +
not +  and aggregated +
not +  and aggregated +
yellow +  and red or purplish +
0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br />) +
dark gray +, tawny +  and reddish-brown +
old +  and new +
spreading-pubescent +
Brush on sand plains +
constricted +
crassinucellate +
deciduous +
incised +
larger +
eglandular +  and craspedodromous +
serrate +  and crenate +
4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br /> (5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br />) +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br />) +
firm +  and coriaceous +
inferior +  and superior +
biseriate +  and clustered +
collateral +  and basal +
0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br /> (2.5 cm25 mm <br />0.025 m <br />) +
circular +  and elliptic +
0 (?) +  and 4 (?) +
pale paper brown +
free +  and distinct +
post-mature +
Flowering Mar–Apr +  and fruiting Aug–Sep. +
adnate +, free +, connate +  and distinct +
dark gray-brown +  and russet +
exfoliating +  and corrugated +
pruinose +
orange-red +  and red +
0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br /> (1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br />) +
suborbicular +
Biltmore Bot. Stud. +
not arillate +
circumscissile +
persistent +
free +  and distinct +
triangular +
nonaccrescent +
7 cm70 mm <br />0.07 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
1-50-flowered +  and few-leaved +
free +  and distinct +
branched +  and simple +
persistent +
distinct +
exsert +  and lateral +
elongate +
Crataegus alabamensis var. florens +
Crataegus florens +
Crataegus (sect. Coccineae) ser. Lacrimatae +
species +
6 cm60 mm <br />0.06 m <br /> (10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br />) +
blackish gray +
straight +
slender +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (4.5 cm45 mm <br />0.045 m <br />) +
craspedodromous +  and gland-tipped +
inconspicuous +
less erect +  and oblique +
1 +  and several +
determinate +
2 (?) +  and 4 (?) +
tree +  and shrub +