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FOC | Family List | FOC Vol. 9 | Rosaceae

18. SORBUS Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 1: 477. 1753.

花楸属 hua qiu shu

Lu Lingdi (Lu Ling-ti); Stephen A. Spongberg

Aria (Persoon) Host; Pleiosorbus Lihua Zhou & C. Y. Wu; Sorbus subgen. Aria Persoon.

Trees or shrubs, usually deciduous. Winter buds usually rather large, ovoid, conical, or spindle-shaped, sometimes viscid; scales imbricate, several, glabrous or pubescent. Leaves alternate, membranous or herbaceous; stipules caducous, simple or pinnately compound, plicate or rarely convolute in bud; leaf blade usually serrate, sometimes nearly entire, venation craspedodromous or camptodromous, glabrous or pubescent. Inflorescences compound, rarely simple corymbs or panicles. Hypanthium campanulate, rarely obconical or urceolate. Sepals 5, ovate or triangular, glabrous, pubescent, or tomentose, sometimes glandular along margin. Petals 5, glabrous or pubescent, base clawed or not. Stamens 15–25(–44) in 2 or 3 whorls, unequal in length; anthers ovoid or subglobose. Carpels 2–5, partly or wholly adnate to hypanthium; ovary semi-inferior to inferior, 2–5-(–7)loculed, with 2 or 3(or 4) ovules per locule, one usually abortive; styles 2–5, free or partially connate, glabrous or pubescent. Fruit a pome, white, yellow, pink, or brown to orange or red, ovoid or globose to ellipsoid or oblong, usually small, glabrous or pubescent, laevigate or with small lenticels, apically with sepals persistent or caducous leaving an annular scar, with 2–5(–7) locules, each with 1 or 2 exendospermous seeds; seeds several, with thin perisperm and endosperm enclosing embryo with compressed cotyledons.Trees or shrubs, usually deciduous. Winter buds usually rather large, ovoid, conical, or spindle-shaped, sometimes viscid; scales imbricate, several, glabrous or pubescent. Leaves alternate, membranous or herbaceous; stipules caducous, simple or pinnately compound, plicate or rarely convolute in bud; leaf blade usually serrate, sometimes nearly entire, venation craspedodromous or camptodromous, glabrous or pubescent. Inflorescences compound, rarely simple corymbs or panicles. Hypanthium campanulate, rarely obconical or urceolate. Sepals 5, ovate or triangular, glabrous, pubescent, or tomentose, sometimes glandular along margin. Petals 5, glabrous or pubescent, base clawed or not. Stamens 15–25(–44) in 2 or 3 whorls, unequal in length; anthers ovoid or subglobose. Carpels 2–5, partly or wholly adnate to hypanthium; ovary semi-inferior to inferior, 2–5-(–7)loculed, with 2 or 3(or 4) ovules per locule, one usually abortive; styles 2–5, free or partially connate, glabrous or pubescent. Fruit a pome, white, yellow, pink, or brown to orange or red, ovoid or globose to ellipsoid or oblong, usually small, glabrous or pubescent, laevigate or with small lenticels, apically with sepals persistent or caducous leaving an annular scar, with 2–5(–7) locules, each with 1 or 2 exendospermous seeds; seeds several, with thin perisperm and endosperm enclosing embryo with compressed cotyledons.

About 100 species: widely distributed throughout temperate regions of Asia, Europe, and North America; 67 species (43 endemic) in China.

This account follows the FRPS generic concept; however, the reader should note the alternative of treating simple-leaved species within the genus Aria (see Ohashi & Itetani, J. Jap. Bot. 68: 355–361. 1993).

Sorbus forrestii McAllister & Gillham (Bot. Mag. 183: n.s., t. 792. 1980), described from NW Yunnan, requires further study. We are unable to treat it in this account because we have seen no specimens.

Kai Larsen (pers. comm.) noted that Sorbus verrucosa (Decaisne) Rehder (in Sargent, Pl. Wilson. 2: 278. 1915; Micromeles verrucosa Decaisne, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. 10: 169. 1874) might occur in China since it is present in NE India, N Thailand, and N Vietnam.

Sorbus species are ornamental plants with attractive, large clusters of white flowers, and most bear colorful fruits. The fruits can be used for making jam, marmalade, various drinks, wine, vinegar, etc. The wood is hard, heavy, and fine-grained, suitable for making furniture or small, carved articles.


1 Leaves pinnately compound.   (2)
+ Leaves simple.   (37)
       
2 (1) Leaflets 3–7(–9) pairs.   (3)
+ Leaflets (4–)8–21 pairs.   (17)
       
3 (2) Dwarf shrub, less than 1 m tall.   (4)
+ Erect tree or shrub, more than (4–)5 m tall.   (5)
       
4 (3) Leaflets adaxially sparsely villous, abaxially glabrous; inflorescence white villous, intermixed with rust-brown hairs; flowers and fruit white.   14 S. reducta
+ Leaflets glabrous on both surfaces; inflorescence rust-brown pubescent; flowers and fruit pink.   15 S. poteriifolia
       
5 (3) Leaflets more than 10 cm, rarely shorter, apex obtuse, margin shallowly obtusely dentate and slightly revolute.   1 S. insignis
+ Leaflets less than 10 cm, rarely longer, apex acute or shortly acuminate, rarely obtuse, margin sharply or obtusely serrate, not revolute.   (6)
       
6 (5) Stipules herbaceous, late caducous; fruit red, yellow, or orange, rarely white.   (7)
+ Stipules membranous, caducous; fruit red, pink, or white.   (12)
       
7 (6) Buds densely white tomentose; fruit red.   (8)
+ Buds apically glabrous or puberulous; fruit white, yellow, red, or orangish red.   (9)
       
8 (7) Leaflets 5–9 cm, abaxially densely grayish white tomentose; styles tomentose basally.   6 S. esserteauiana
+ Leaflets 3–5 cm, abaxially tomentose when young but glabrescent; styles pubescent basally.   7 S. pohuashanensis
       
9 (7) Fruit white or yellow.   5 S. discolor
+ Fruit red or orangish red.   (10)
       
10 (9) Leaflet abaxially densely tomentose when young, with sparse hairs only along midvein when mature, blade 7–13 cm.   2 S. sargentiana
+ Leaflet abaxially glabrous or pubescent along midvein, glabrescent, blade 4–8.5 cm.   (11)
       
11 (10) Rachis of leaves and leaflets abaxially glabrous or puberulous along midvein; leaflet margin shallowly minutely serrate.   3 S. wilsoniana
+ Rachis of leaves and leaflets abaxially rust-brown pubescent; leaflet margin coarsely and sharply serrate.   4 S. amabilis
       
12 (6) Leaflets 3 or 4 pairs, margin obtusely serrate or doubly serrate; fruit white.   8 S. helenae
+ Leaflets 4–8 pairs, margin sharply serrate; fruit red or white tinged red.   (13)
       
13 (12) Buds white pubescent; leaflets mostly with distinct teeth along margin; flowers 1.5–2 cm in diam.; fruit red.   (14)
+ Buds glabrous; leaflets with few teeth above the middle or at apex; flowers less than 1.5 cm in diam.; fruit white or white tinged red.   (15)
       
14 (13) Leaflets glabrous on both surfaces; inflorescence glabrous.   9 S. tianschanica
+ Leaflets abaxially white pubescent along midvein; inflorescence white tomentose.   10 S. tapashana
       
15 (13) Leaflet apically acute or shortly acuminate, rarely obtuse, abaxially white tomentose along midvein.   11 S. hupehensis
+ Leaflet apically obtuse or subacute, both surfaces usually glabrous or abaxially puberulous along midvein.   (16)
       
16 (15) Leaflet basally broadly cuneate to rounded, apically with few teeth; petals glabrous adaxially; flowers 6–7 mm in diam.   12 S. oligodonta
+ Leaflet basally truncate or subrounded-truncate, coarsely sharply serrate above base; petals pilose adaxially; flowers to 15 mm in diam.   13 S. macrantha
       
17 (2) Leaflets (4–)8–14(–17) pairs, usually more than 2 cm, rarely shorter.   (18)
+ Leaflets (8–)14–21 pairs, usually less than 2 cm, rarely longer.   (31)
       
18 (17) Leaflet margin with few apical teeth.   (19)
+ Leaflet margin serrate except base sparsely few toothed.   (25)
       
19 (18) Fruit white.   22 S. glomerulata
+ Fruit red.   (20)
       
20 (19) Inflorescence grayish white tomentose; hypanthium glabrous.   21 S. scalaris
+ Inflorescence rust-brown pubescent; hypanthium glabrous or pubescent.   (21)
       
21 (20) Hypanthium brown pubescent.   20 S. obsoletidentata
+ Hypanthium glabrous.   (22)
       
22 (21) Stipules membranous, lanceolate.   19 S. kiukiangensis
+ Stipules herbaceous, lanceolate or ovate to suborbicular.   (23)
       
23 (22) Leaflets (4–)6–9-paired; styles 2 or 3(or 4), basally glabrous.   16 S. foliolosa
+ Leaflets 9–14(–15)-paired; styles 3–5, basally puberulous.   (24)
       
24 (23) Leaflets ovate-linear or linear-oblong, 15–30 × 6–8 mm, at intervals of 6–8 mm, abaxially densely papillose, apex with few sharp teeth; stipules lanceolate to ovate, 4–6 mm; styles 3–5.   17 S. pteridophylla
+ Leaflets linear or narrowly lanceolate, 25–50(–60) × 10–15 mm, at intervals of 10–20 mm, abaxially not papillose, densely sharply serrate from base or above middle; stipules broadly ovate or suborbicular, 10–12 mm, rarely narrower; styles 5.   18 S. ursina
       
25 (18) Hypanthium pubescent.   (26)
+ Hypanthium glabrous.   (27)
       
26 (25) Leaflets 6–8(–10)-paired, with 15–20 teeth on each margin; stipules herbaceous, large, dentate or entire; styles 4.   28 S. monbeigii
+ Leaflets 9–13-paired, with 4–8 sharp minute teeth on each margin; stipules membranous, subulate; styles 5.   29 S. vilmorinii
       
27 (25) Leaflets abaxially and inflorescence glabrous; leaflets 5–8-paired.   23 S. zayuensis
+ Leaflets abaxially and inflorescence pubescent; leaflets 7–13(–17)-paired.   (28)
       
28 (27) Fruit reddish to scarlet; branchlets with numerous lenticels.   (29)
+ Fruit white; branchlets with few lenticels.   (30)
       
29 (28) Leaflet apically acute or obtuse, with 10–20 teeth on each margin; rachis and pedicels rust-brown pubescent.   24 S. rehderiana
+ Leaflet apically acuminate, with 20–30 teeth on each margin; rachis and pedicels sparsely pubescent or subglabrous.   25 S. randaiensis
       
30 (28) Leaflet margin wholly serrate except at base, abaxially not papillose; styles 5, ± free at base.   26 S. koehneana
+ Leaflet margin sharply minutely serrate apically, abaxially densely papillose; styles 4 or 5, connate basally or from base to 1/3 length.   27 S. prattii
       
31 (17) Leaflets with few teeth (3–5 per side), rarely more; leaflets abaxially and inflorescence glabrous.   (32)
+ Leaflets with more teeth (4 or)5–16 per side; leaflets abaxially and inflorescence glabrous or pubescent.   (33)
       
32 (31) Leaflet margin with 3–5 coarse teeth per side apically; fruit scarlet.   30 S. filipes
+ Leaflet margin with few sharp teeth; fruit white or white tinged bluish.   31 S. microphylla
       
33 (31) Small shrub, less than 1.5 m tall; leaflets 13–18-paired, 6–11 mm, with 4–7 incised sharp teeth on each margin.   32 S. lanpingensis
+ Shrub or small tree, more than 2.5 m tall; leaflets 8–21-paired, usually 10–25 mm, with (4 or)5–16 teeth on each margin.   (34)
       
34 (33) Fruit red; petals pink to purple; leaflets abaxially and inflorescence pubescent.   (35)
+ Fruit white; petals white; leaflets abaxially and inflorescence glabrous or pubescent.   (36)
       
35 (34) Leaflets abaxially and inflorescence rust-red pubescent; hypanthium glabrous; stipules coarsely sharply serrate; leaflets with 6–10 incurved sharp teeth per side.   33 S. rufopilosa
+ Leaflets abaxially and inflorescence white pubescent, hypanthium pubescent; stipules entire; leaflets with 5–10 sharp teeth per side.   34 S. albopilosa
       
36 (34) Leaflets abaxially and inflorescence glabrous; leaflets 12–17 pairs, narrowly oblong, 5–11-crenate per side.   35 S. setschwanensis
+ Leaflets abaxially and inflorescence pilose, glabrescent, leaflets 17–21 pairs, oblong or oblong-lanceolate, with 6–16 sharp teeth per side.   36 S. multijuga
       
37 (1) Fruit apically with persistent sepals; carpels mostly adnate to hypanthium, only separate at apex.   (38)
+ Fruit without persistent sepals apically; carpels 2 or 3, rarely 4 or 5, wholly adnate to hypanthium.   (48)
       
38 (37) Leaves abaxially glabrous or tomentose only in vein axils.   (39)
+ Leaves abaxially densely tomentose over entire surface.   (42)
       
39 (38) Fruit ovoid, ovoid-globose, oblong, or obovate-oblong, 1–2 cm in diam.; leaf margin obtusely crenate or shallowly lobed.   (40)
+ Fruit subglobose, (0.8–)1–1.2 cm in diam.; leaf margin sharply serrate.   (41)
       
40 (39) Leaf basally cuneate to subrounded, blade with 14–20 pairs of lateral veins; fruit ovoid, ovoid- globose, or subglobose, (1.5–)2–3 × 1.5–2 cm.   37 S. megalocarpa
+ Leaf basally cuneate, blade with 12–14 pairs of lateral veins; fruit oblong or obovoid-oblong, 1.5–2 × 1–1.5 cm.   38 S. guanxianensis
       
41 (39) Fruit 4-loculed; leaves oblong-ovate or ovate-lanceolate, margin sharply incised doubly serrate or lobed, with 13–18 pairs of lateral veins.   39 S. arguta
+ Fruit 2-loculed; leaves elliptic or oblong-elliptic, margin irregularly sharply serrate, with 7–11 pairs of lateral veins.   40 S. yunnanensis
       
42 (38) Fruit narrowly ovoid to oblong, 2-loculed; tree to 15 m tall.   (43)
+ Fruit subglobose to ovoid or obovoid, 2–5-loculed; shrub to ca. 7 m tall.   (44)
       
43 (42) Fruit 6–10 × 4–7 mm; leaves narrowly elliptic or oblong-ovate, 9–14 × 5–9 cm, margin irregularly serrate or shallowly doubly serrate.   41 S. zahlbruckneri
+ Fruit 10–16 × 6–13 mm; leaves elliptic to obovate-elliptic, 6–13 × 3.5–9.5 cm, margin regularly deeply doubly serrate or lobed.   42 S. yuana
       
44 (42) Petiole 3–12 mm; leaves cuneate to subrounded basally.   (45)
+ Petiole 10–25 mm; leaves rounded or broadly cuneate at base.   (46)
       
45 (44) Inflorescence 3–6 × 4–8 cm, 20–30-flowered or more; styles glabrous basally; fruit scarlet, ovoid or obovoid, 9–12(–15) × 7–11(–13) mm, with few small lenticels.   43 S. thibetica
+ Inflorescence 1.5–3.5 × 4–4.5 cm, 10–25-flowered; styles yellowish white tomentose basally; fruit white, stained red, subglobose, 6–8(–10) mm in diam., with or without few small lenticels.   44 S. pallescens
       
46 (44) Inflorescence 5–8 × (5–)7–10 cm, 30–45-flowered; styles tomentose basally; fruit 15–20 mm in diam.; shrub.   45 S. cuspidata
+ Inflorescence 3–4 × 3.5–5 cm, (15–)20–30-flowered or more; styles glabrous or pubescent basally; fruit 5–10 mm in diam.; tree or shrub.   (47)
       
47 (46) Leaf margin serrulate; styles grayish white tomentose basally; pedicel 5–12 mm.   46 S. hemsleyi
+ Leaf margin irregularly minutely serrate or doubly serrate; styles glabrous or puberulous basally; pedicel 3–5 mm.   47 S. coronata
       
48 (37) Leaves abaxially glabrous or puberulous.   (49)
+ Leaves tomentose abaxially.   (60)
       
49 (48) Lateral veins (6–)10–18(–24) pairs, veins terminating in teeth on leaf margin.   (50)
+ Lateral veins 7–11 pairs, usually anastomosing toward leaf margin.   (54)
       
50 (49) Fruit 2-loculed, without or with few inconspicuous small lenticels; leaf margin sharply doubly serrate, petiole 1.5–3 cm.   48 S. alnifolia
+ Fruit 2–5-loculed, lenticellate; leaf margin crenate, serrate, or doubly serrate, petiole 0.3–2 cm.   (51)
       
51 (50) Leaf margin doubly serrate, lateral veins 16–24 pairs.   52 S. meliosmifolia
+ Leaf margin serrate, lateral veins 10–18 pairs.   (52)
       
52 (51) Leaf margin crenate; fruit conspicuously lenticellate, 4- or 5-loculed.   49 S. caloneura
+ Leaf margin sharply serrate; fruit without or with few small lenticels, 2- or 3-loculed.   (53)
       
53 (52) Leaves ovate-elliptic or oblong-elliptic, rarely oblong-obovate; petiole 1–2 cm; fruit 6–9 mm in diam., without or with few small lenticels, 2- or 3-loculed.   50 S. rhamnoides
+ Leaves oblong-lanceolate to obovate-lanceolate; petiole 3–8 mm; fruit 5–7 mm in diam., without lenticels, 2-loculed.   51 S. salwinensis
       
54 (49) Fruit more than 1 cm in diam., conspicuously lenticellate; petiole more than 1 cm, rarely shorter.   (55)
+ Fruit less than 1 cm in diam., rarely larger, without or with few inconspicuous lenticels; petiole usually less than cm.   (58)
       
55 (54) Leaf margin sharply serrate apically, base cuneate, rarely rounded.   56 S. globosa
+ Leaf margin obtusely crenate, base narrowly cuneate or rounded.   (56)
       
56 (55) Fruit larger, 3–5 cm in diam., 5–7-loculed; styles 5–7; leaves elliptic to obovate-elliptic, base narrowly cuneate, margin sparsely minutely shallowly crenulate; petiole 0.3–0.5 cm.   53 S. medogensis
+ Fruit smaller, 1–2 cm in diam., 2–4-loculed; styles 2–4; petiole 1–3 cm.   (57)
       
57 (56) Leaves ovate or elliptic-ovate, rounded basally, shallowly crenate; petiole 2.5–3 cm.   54 S. corymbifera
+ Leaves rhombic, cuneate basally, minutely obtusely crenulate apically; petiole 1–2 cm.   55 S. rhombifolia
       
58 (54) Inflorescences gray tomentose; leaves obovate or oblong-obovate.   59 S. keissleri
+ Inflorescences glabrous; leaves elliptic, oblong-elliptic, elliptic-lanceolate, or elliptic-obovate.   (59)
       
59 (58) Leaves glabrous on both surfaces, margin shallowly obtusely minutely serrate apically; fruit globose, with few small lenticels.   57 S. thomsonii
+ Leaves abaxially sparsely tomentose along veins when young, glabrescent, margin sharply serrate but entire near base; fruit ovoid, without lenticels.   58 S. aronioides
       
60 (48) Leaves abaxially densely gray or yellowish white tomentose.   (61)
+ Leaves abaxially densely rusty or rust-brown tomentose.   (63)
       
61 (60) Leaves abaxially yellowish white tomentose; inflorescence rust-brown tomentose; fruit subglobose.   62 S. dunnii
+ Leaves abaxially and inflorescence densely gray tomentose; fruit oblong, oblong-ellipsoid, or obovoid-oblong.   (62)
       
62 (61) Leaf basally broadly cuneate to rounded, lateral veins nearly parallel; petiole 0.5–1(–1.5) cm; styles 2 or 3, connate and white tomentose basally.   60 S. folgneri
+ Leaf basally rounded to subcordate, lateral veins curved; petiole 1.2–2 cm; styles 2, connate basally, glabrous.   61 S. tsinlingensis
       
63 (60) Lateral veins nearly parallel, terminating in marginal teeth.   (64)
+ Lateral veins anastomosing near leaf margin.   (65)
       
64 (63) Leaves ovate, elliptic, or obovate, both surfaces densely rusty tomentose when young, glabrescent, lateral veins 6–8(–11) pairs, petiole 1–1.5 cm.   63 S. ferruginea
+ Leaves narrowly elliptic or elliptic-ovate to elliptic-obovate, abaxially persistently rust-brown tomentose, lateral veins 12–15 pairs, petiole 0.5–1 cm.   64 S. epidendron
       
65 (63) Leaves 4–7(–9)cm, lateral veins 6–8 pairs, petiole 5–7(–10) mm; fruit ovoid, 5–10 mm in diam., usually not lenticellate.   67 S. astateria
+ Leaves 9–15 cm, lateral veins 10–15 pairs, petiole 10–30 mm; fruit subglobose, 10–15 mm in diam., with conspicuous lenticels.   (66)
       
66 (65) Leaves ovate or elliptic-ovate, rarely elliptic-obovate, shortly acuminate, rarely acute, margin shallowly crenate-serrate above base, petiole 20–30 mm; fruit ca. 10 mm in diam.   65 S. ochracea
+ Leaves elliptic-lanceolate, acuminate to caudate, margin usually entire or apically sparsely serrate, petiole ca. 10 mm; fruit 10–15 mm in diam.   66 S. subochracea

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