Crataegus (sect. Coccineae) ser. Punctatae

Shrubs or trees, (30–)50–80 dm, main trunk usually dominant. Stems: trunk bark buff to gray-brown, fibrous, checked into longitudinal plates, freshly exposed bark orange-brown; compound thorns on trunks and larger branches often present; twigs: new growth pubescent, 1-year old pale gray or grayish brown to tan or reddish brown, older pale gray or gray; thorns on twigs absent or few to numerous, ± straight to slightly recurved, 2-years old gray to dark gray, rarely ± shiny dark brown or black, older gray, usually slender, sometimes stout, 2–6 cm. Leaves: petiole short, length 10–25(–50)% blade, pubescent, usually eglandular, sometimes sparsely sessile-glandular; blade broadly elliptic to narrowly obovate, oblanceolate (broader in C. jonesiae), or rhombic-elliptic, 3–6(–8) cm, ± thin, base usually cuneate, lobes 0 or 1–4(–9) per side, sinuses usually shallow, lobe apex usually acute, rarely obtuse, margins serrate to crenate except subentire base, venation craspedodromous, veins (4 or)5–10 per side, apex subacute to obtuse, abaxial surface hairy, veins pubescent or not, adaxial hairy, especially young. Inflorescences 5–25-flowered; branches usually pubescent; bracteoles caducous, linear, membranous or ± herbaceous, margins glandular. Flowers (10–)14–23 mm diam.; hypanthium usually pubescent, sometimes glabrous; sepals narrowly triangular, much shorter than petals, margins entire or glandular-serrate; stamens (5–)10–20, anthers rose, pink-purple, cream, white, or yellow; styles 2–5. Pomes red, yellow, orange, scarlet, or burgundy, usually suborbicular, sometimes oblong or obovoid, (8–)10–16[–25] mm diam., usually punctate, glabrous or pubescent; flesh mealy; sepals persistent, reflexed or erect-patent; pyrenes 2–5.

Distribution

North America, Mexico, introduced in Europe.

Discussion

Species 5 (4 in the flora).

Series Punctatae consists of three widespread species (Crataegus collina, C. mexicana Mociño & Sessé ex de Candolle, and C. punctata) plus two local ones (C. spes-aestatum and C. jonesiae), all found in typical hawthorn habitats.

The common species are narrow-leaved with leaf lobes absent or obscure, usually 20 stamens, and 3–5 styles and pyrenes. Apparently no meaningful distinction exists between ser. Punctatae and ser. Mexicanae and the two have been united here. Crataegus jonesiae appears intermediate between ser. Punctatae and C. chrysocarpa (ser. Rotundifoliae).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Crataegus collina, Crataegus jonesiae, Crataegus punctata, Crataegus spes-aestatum

Key

1	Flowers 18–23 mm diam.; leaf blades 4–7(–8) cm, broadly ovate to broadly rhombic-elliptic or nearly circular, equal to or less than 1.5 times as long as wide; pomes oblong or obovoid; stamens 10.	Crataegus jonesiae
1	Flowers (10–)12–20(–22) mm diam.; leaf blades 3–7(–7.5) cm, narrowly obovate to oblanceolate or broadly elliptic, sometimes ± obtrullate or rhombic-obovate or -elliptic, 2–4 times as long as wide; pomes suborbicular or orbicular; stamens (5–)20	> 2
2	Leaves: veins 7–10 per side; inflorescences 10–25-flowered; sepal margins entire or subentire; pomes usually deep burgundy, sometimes scarlet, orange, or yellow; ne United States and adjacent Canada, in Appalachia at 1000–1800 m.	Crataegus punctata
2	Leaves: veins 4–7 per side; inflorescences 5–12-flowered; sepal margins usually glandular-serrate; pomes usually orange, sometimes deep red to ruddy; se United States, in Appalachia only at lower elevations	> 3
3	Leaf blades 3–5 cm (except to 7.5 cm in var. lettermani), rhombic-obovate or broadly elliptic, sometimes ± narrowly obovate, ± obtrullate, or broadly rhombic-elliptic, apices subacute to obtuse, lobes 0, or 1 or 2(or 3) per side, lobe apices acute to subacute, rarely obtuse; flowers (10–)13–18(–20) mm diam.	Crataegus collina
3	Leaf blades 4–6 cm, broadly rhombic-elliptic, apices acuminate, lobes 3 or 4 per side, lobe apices acute; flowers 20–22 mm diam.	Crataegus spes-aestatum