''× Rhaphiobotrya'' is an artificial hybrid genus (nothogenus) that occurred in cultivation between ''

Eriobotrya ''Eriobotrya'' is a genus of flowering plants, mostly large evergreen shrubs and small trees, in the family Rosaceae, native to woodland in the Himalayas and East Asia. The loquat, ''E. japonica'', is grown for its edible fruit. ''Eriobotrya'' ...

'' and ''

Rhaphiolepis ''Rhaphiolepis'' ( or ) is a genus of about fifteen species of evergreen shrubs and small trees in the family Rosaceae, native to warm temperate and subtropical East Asia and Southeast Asia, from southern Japan, southern Korea and southern Chin ...

''. The genus was first described in 2008 for the

cultivar A cultivar is a kind of Horticulture, cultivated plant that people have selected for desired phenotypic trait, traits and which retains those traits when Plant propagation, propagated. Methods used to propagate cultivars include division, root a ...

× ''Rhaphiobotrya'' 'Coppertone', which had been previously listed under several species of ''Eriobotrya'' and ''Rhaphiolepis''. At least three further cultivars are known.

Description

The genus is based on × ''Rhaphiobotrya'' 'Coppertone', which is an evergreen shrub growing to high. The young leaves are a bronze colour and have reddish hairs. As the leaves age, the leaves lose their hairs and become green, shiny above and paler below. Mature leaves are up to wide by long in total, of which the

petiole Petiole may refer to: *Petiole (botany), the stalk of a leaf, attaching the blade to the stem *Petiole (insect anatomy) In entomology, petiole is the technical term for the narrow waist of some hymenopteran insects, especially ants, bees, and ...

makes up about . The fragrant flowers are arranged in a terminal

panicle In botany, a panicle is a much-branched inflorescence. (softcover ). Some authors distinguish it from a compound spike inflorescence, by requiring that the flowers (and fruit) be pedicellate (having a single stem per flower). The branches of a p ...

. Each flower has five almost circular petals about long, notched at the tips. The flower is pale pink shading to white at the centre, fading to white all over as it ages. There are usually 15

stamen The stamen (: stamina or stamens) is a part consisting of the male reproductive organs of a flower. Collectively, the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filament ...

s, occasionally fewer, and three styles. The stamens appear to be sterile and fruit is not produced. Three further cultivars have been assigned to the genus and are broadly similar to × ''Rhaphiobotrya'' 'Coppertone'.

Taxonomy

The genera ''Eriobotrya'' and ''Rhaphiolepis'' are placed in the subtribe

Malinae Malinae is the name for the apple subtribe in the rose family, Rosaceae. This name is required by the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants, which came into force in 2011 (article 19) for any group at the subtribe rank t ...

or Pyrinae. Together with ''

Photinia ''Photinia'' () is a genus of about 30 species of small trees and large shrubs, but the taxonomy has recently varied greatly, with the genera ''Heteromeles'', '' Stranvaesia'' and '' Aronia'' sometimes included in ''Photinia''. They are a part o ...

'' they form a closely related group. In 2020, it was proposed to merge ''Eriobotrya'' into ''Rhaphiolepis'', which would make × ''Rhaphiobotrya'' a junior synonym of ''Rhaphiolepis''. , all three genera are accepted by

Plants of the World Online Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online taxonomic database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. History Following the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew launched Plants of the World Online i ...

Origin

× ''Rhaphiobotrya'' 'Montic' () was probably the first hybrid discovered; a US

plant patent Plant breeders' rights (PBR), also known as plant variety rights (PVR), are rights granted in certain places to the breeder of a new variety of plant that give the breeder exclusive control over the propagating material (including seed, cutting ...

was granted in 1973. 'Coppertone' was discovered in June 1970 in Glendora, Los Angeles County. It was described as a seedling of '' Eriobotrya deflexa'', but differing in a number of aspects, including the coppery-red young leaves. The pollen parent was unknown. A US plant patent was granted in 1978. All the cultivars of × ''Rhaphiobotrya'' are also likely to be derived from ''Eriobotrya deflexa'', while the other parent may be ''

Rhaphiolepis indica ''Rhaphiolepis indica'', the Indian hawthorn, India hawthorn or Hong Kong hawthorn is an evergreen shrub in the family Rosaceae. Description They are shrubs or small trees, which rarely reach a size of 4 m in height. The branches are purple brow ...

'', ''Rhaphiolepis'' × ''delacourii'', or another cultivar of × ''Rhaphiobotrya''. In 2020, a species name was provided for the hybrids, × ''Rhaphiobotrya splendens''. No species are listed by Plants of the World Online .

Cultivars

Known cultivars of × ''Rhaphiobotrya'' include: *'Coppertone' – the basis of the hybrid genus *'Fullerton' – the largest cultivar, its large leaves having more primary veins than the other cultivars; more obviously intermediate between the parent genera *'Montic' () – probably the first ''Eriobotrya'' × ''Rhaphiolepis'' hybrid raised; compared to 'Coppertone', it is taller with very large flower clusters, and closer in appearance to a ''Rhaphiolepis'' *'Sienna Glow' – similar to 'Coppertone', but possibly shorter, growing to high

References

{{Taxonbar, from1=Q129262330 Rhaphiobotrya Rhaphiobotrya Rhaphiobotrya