16. Crataegus lanuginosa Sarg.

C. mollis (Torr. & A. Gray) Scheele var. lanuginosa (Sarg.) R.W. Lance

Pl. 528 g; Map 2427

Plants shrubs, 2–4 m tall, or rarely small trees to 9 m tall, Trunks and sometimes also larger branches usually armed with conspicuous branched thorns. Branchlets somewhat zigzag, grayish brown at second year, densely thorny, the thorns 3–7(–9) cm long, purplish black and shiny at second year, becoming gray and dull with age. Petioles 10–15(–20) mm long, densely woolly when young, becoming somewhat less densely hairy with age. Leaf blades (2–)4–5(–8) cm long, (2–)3–4(–6) cm wide, broadly ovate-elliptic to nearly circular, broadest at or near the midpoint, broadly angled to rounded at the base, rounded or more commonly angled or tapered to a sharply (but sometimes broadly) pointed tip, unlobed or more commonly with 1–3 very short, somewhat irregular lobes above the midpoint (sometimes more deeply lobed on extension shoot leaves), the margins otherwise sharply and often doubly toothed, the teeth often gland-tipped, at least when young, the secondary veins mostly 3–5 pairs, somewhat leathery, the upper surface moderately to densely short-hairy, especially along the main veins, bluish-tinged and usually somewhat shiny at maturity, the undersurface densely and persistently woolly (velvety to the touch), yellowish green at maturity. Inflorescences relatively dense, the branches densely woolly, the bractlets somewhat herbaceous, relatively conspicuous, oblong to oblong-obovate, rounded to sharply pointed at the tip, finely glandular-toothed, persistent. Hypanthium densely woolly. Sepals 4–5 mm long. Petals 8–10 mm long. Stamens 20, the anthers pink to red. Styles usually 5. Fruits 10–15 mm in diameter, subglobose to slightly oblong-ovoid, usually with small persistent patches of hairs at the ends, dark red, occasionally with scattered, large, pale dots. Nutlets usually 5. Mid-April–mid-May.

Uncommon, sporadic in the state (Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Arkansas). Mesic to dry upland forests and banks of streams; also pastures and roadsides.

This species was recorded first from near Webb City, and the overwhelming majority of the Missouri specimens collected thus far have originated from Jasper County. This species was last recorded in the state by Palmer in 1957 from a site in Greene County.

Crataegus lanuginosa is readily distinguished from the other species of the ser. Molles by the distinctly bluish-tinged color of the relatively small, often shiny leaves. The dark red, hard fruits, extremely dense pubescence, and the remarkable development of the thorns are also unusual in ser. Molles. The species usually flowers before the leaves are half-grown.