''Crataegus punctata'' is a species of
hawthorn
Hawthorn or Hawthorns may refer to:
Plants
* '' Crataegus'' (hawthorn), a large genus of shrubs and trees in the family Rosaceae
* ''Rhaphiolepis'' (hawthorn), a genus of about 15 species of evergreen shrubs and small trees in the family Rosace ...
known by the common names dotted hawthorn
or white haw that is native to most of the eastern United States and eastern Canada. While some sources claim it is the state flower of
Missouri
Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...
, the actual legislation does not identify an exact species. Furthermore, the Missouri Department of Conservation asserts the ''
Crataegus mollis'' was specifically designated as the state flower.
Description
Although many North American hawthorns are
polyploid
Polyploidy is a condition in which the cells of an organism have more than one pair of ( homologous) chromosomes. Most species whose cells have nuclei ( eukaryotes) are diploid, meaning they have two sets of chromosomes, where each set conta ...
and reproduce by
apomixis
In botany, apomixis is asexual reproduction without fertilization. Its etymology is Greek for "away from" + "mixing". This definition notably does not mention meiosis. Thus "normal asexual reproduction" of plants, such as propagation from cuttin ...
, this species is apparently diploid and sexual, at least throughout Ontario, Canada.
The name white haw refers to its distinctive pale (grey) bark, which is particularly noticeable in the winter landscape. The plant is a bush or small tree to about 7 meters in height and very thorny, particularly on the trunk. The flower has three to five styles and approximately 20 stamens, and the fruit is a
pome
In botany, a pome is a type of fruit produced by flowering plants in the subtribe Malinae of the family Rosaceae. Well-known pomes include the apple, pear, and quince.
Etymology
The word ''pome'' entered English in the late 14th century, and re ...
-type
polypyrenous drupe
In botany, a drupe (or stone fruit) is an indehiscent fruit in which an outer fleshy part ( exocarp, or skin, and mesocarp, or flesh) surrounds a single shell (the ''pit'', ''stone'', or ''pyrena'') of hardened endocarp with a seed (''kernel ...
which contains three to five pits. Anther colour varies from deep purple through red to pink to white, and the mature fruit colour can be deep burgundy, scarlet, yellow, or yellow with a red cheek.
See also
*
List of hawthorn species with yellow fruit
References
External links
*
{{Taxonbar, from=Q4095586
punctata
Trees of the North-Central United States
Trees of the Northeastern United States
Trees of Ontario
Symbols of Missouri
Trees of the Southeastern United States
Flora of North America
Flora without expected TNC conservation status