Crataegus lassa

Beadle

Biltmore Bot. Stud. 1: 29. 1901.

EndemicIllustrated
Synonyms: Crataegus illudens Beadle C. panda Beadle
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 9. Treatment on page 629. Mentioned on page 619, 620, 627, 630.

Shrubs or trees, 20–50 dm, branches ± weeping. Stems: trunk bark ashy gray, rough or scaly; twigs: new growth densely white-canescent, 1-year old purple-brown or blackish, older dark gray; thorns on twigs absent or rare, straight or slightly recurved, 1-year old blackish or purple-brown, ± stout, 3–4.5 cm. Leaves: petiole length 25–33% blade, winged distally, densely pubescent, glandular; blade obovate-cuneate to narrowly obovate, 2–4 cm (length/width = 1.6–2.1), ± coriaceous (floppy in wind), base gradually tapered, lobes 0 or 2–4 per side, subterminal, toothlike, margins glandular-denticulate to subentire, veins 2–4(or 5) per side (except smaller leaves), apex often strikingly cuspidate, surfaces ± white-pubescent young, especially on abaxial veins, glabrescent. Inflorescences 3–5-flowered; branches tomentose; bracteoles linear, margins glandular. Flowers 15–20 mm diam.; hypanthium tomentose; sepals narrowly triangular, 6–8 mm, margins finely glandular-serrate, abaxially ± tomentose, especially proximally; anthers cream or ivory; styles 3–5. Pomes yellow blushed red to orange-red, suborbicular, (8–)10–12 mm diam., pubescent; sepals spreading-recurved or lost; pyrenes 3–5.


Phenology: Flowering Mar–mid Apr; fruiting Jul–Aug.
Habitat: Sand plains, dry scrub, open woodlands
Elevation: 0–100 m

Discussion

Crataegus lassa is particularly abundant around its type locality of Selma, Alabama. The species normally has big, floppy leaves. The type material has rather shorter leaves than most specimens seen commonly near Selma today and is notable for having a few small terminal lobes. Crataegus illudens is barely different but has somewhat longer leaves and leaf tips more often entire. Crataegus panda is a form with a slightly shorter and relatively wider leaf, minutely crenate on the margins; also see the discussion under 144. C. lanata.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Crataegus lassa"
James B. Phipps +
Beadle +
Ala. +, Fla. +, Ga. +  and S.C. +
0–100 m +
Sand plains, dry scrub, open woodlands +
Flowering Mar–mid Apr +  and fruiting Jul–Aug. +
Biltmore Bot. Stud. +
Endemic +  and Illustrated +
Crataegus illudens +  and C. panda +
Crataegus lassa +
Crataegus (sect. Coccineae) ser. Lacrimatae +
species +