Crataegus L.

Deciduous shrubs or small trees, usually armed with spines; stems erect to spreading, sometimes with well developed trunk; young stems glabrous or pilose. Lvs either distributed along stems or in fascicles, simple, lobed to pinnatifid with margins serrate or entire, usually petiolate; lvs of non-flowering first-year shoots usually larger and broader at base than those of flowering shoots; stipules larger, persistent and somewhat leafy on long vegetative shoots, smaller and deciduous on older and shorter shoots. Infl. usually a flattened or rounded corymb of many small but showy fls terminating a leafy short shoot, rarely fls 1–3 in fascicles. Fls 5-merous, ☿, pedicellate. Hypanthium tubular, closed at apex. Epicalyx 0. Calyx of 5 sepals; sepals short, fused at base, generally persistent, sometimes deciduous. Petals 5, often suborbicular and spreading, usually white, occasionally pink, cream or red. Stamens 5–25. Ovary semi-inferior or inferior, sunken in hypanthium; carpels 1–5, connate on inner margin at least near base; styles 1–5; ovules 2 in each locule. Fr. pome-like, usually rather small, red, yellow, blue-black or black, globose to ovoid or ovoid-ellipsoid, with ± mealy flesh and 1–5 (rarely more), woody carpels each containing 1 seed.

[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4.]