秋子 qiu zi

Pyrus prunifolia Willdenow, Phytogr. 8. 1794; Malus domestica Borkhausen subsp. prunifolia (Willdenow) Likhonos.

Trees small, to 3–8 m tall. Branchlets grayish purple or grayish brown when old, terete, robust, densely puberulous when young, glabrous when old; buds purplish brown, ovoid, sparsely pubescent. Stipules caducous, lanceolate, small, 4–5 mm, membranous, margin glandular serrate when young, apex acuminate; petiole 1–5 cm, initially densely puberulous, glabrescent; leaf blade ovate or elliptic, 5–9 × 4–5 cm, pubescent along veins when young, pubescent only along midvein or subglabrous when old, base broadly cuneate, margin serrulate, apex acuminate or acute. Corymb umbel-like, 4–8 cm in diam., 4–10-flowered; bracts caducous, linear-lanceolate, membranous, sparsely pubescent, margin entire, apex acuminate. Pedicel 2–3.5 cm; puberulous. Flowers 4–5 cm in diam. Hypanthium campanulate, abaxially puberulous. Sepals lanceolate or triangular-lanceolate, 7–9 mm, slightly longer than hypanthium, both surfaces puberulous, margin entire, apex acuminate. Petals white, pink in bud, obovate or elliptic, 2.5–3 cm, base shortly clawed, apex rounded. Stamens 20, unequal, ca. 1/3 as long as petals. Ovary 4- or 5-loculed, with 2 ovules per locule; styles 4(or 5), longer than stamens, tomentose basally. Pome yellow, red, ovoid, 2–2.5 cm in diam., with cavity at base; fruiting pedicel 2–3.5 cm, puberulous; sepals persistent. Fl. Apr–May, fr. Aug–Sep. 2n = 34*, 51*.

Slopes, plains; sea level to 1300 m. Gansu, Guizhou, Hebei, Henan, Liaoning, Nei Mongol, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, ?Xinjiang.

This species is an excellent stock for grafting apple trees. Many varieties have also been bred as good fruit trees.