Cotoneaster Medicus

31. Cotoneaster Medicus View in CoL 1

Shrubs, rarely small trees, without spines. Leaves entire. Stipules caducous. Flowers small, in cymes or corymbs, or solitary. Sepals persistent; petals white or pink; stamens c. 20; carpels 2-5, free on the ventral side, with walls stony in fruit; ovules 2; styles 2-5, free. Fruit red or black, with mealy flesh; pyrenes 2-5.

Some of the species are very similar to one another, and diffi­ cult to distinguish in the vegetative state. They are also variable, particularly in the indumentum and the shape of the leaf-apex. Interspecific hybrids are fairly common. Many species are culti­ vated as ornamental shrubs, and some are naturalized by bird- dispersal, often in places remote from gardens.

Literature: G. Klotz, Wiss. Zeitschr. Univ. Halle (Math.-Nat.) 6 (6): 945-982 (1957).

1 Petals patent, white (rarely pink) 2 Evergreenshrubnot morethan1 m 11. microphyllus 2 Deciduousshrubusuallymorethan1 m 3 Leavespubescentbeneathat first,soonglabrous;inflores­

cence lax 8. granatensis 3 Leavespersistentlytomentosebeneath;inflorescencedense 4 Hypanthium and sepals tomentose 9. nummul&rius 4 Hypanthium andsepals slightly pubescent 10. tauricus 1 Petals erect, ± tinged with red or pink 5 Fruitblack 7. niger 5 Fruitredorpurplish 6 Flowerssolitaryor in pairs;shrubsnotmorethan0- 7m,

usually procumbent 7 Leavesnot more than 1 -2 cm, shining above 1. horizontalis 7 Leaves more than 2 cm, dull above 4. cinnabarinus 6 Flowersin clustersof 2- 5or more;shrubsusuallymorethan

1 m, erect 8 Twigs strigose-pubescent 2. simonsii 8 Twigs appressed-villous or almost glabrous 9 Calyx glabrous, or pubescent at margin 3. integerrimus 9 Calyx densely pubescent or tomentose

10 Leaves obtuse or rarely subacute, tomentose beneath

5. nebrodensis

10 Leaves acuminate or acute, usually glabrescent

6. acuminatus