Species: Crataegus douglasii var. douglasii Lindl.

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Crataegus douglasii var. douglasii Lindl.

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TAXONOMY

Family:

Rosaceae

Genus:

Crataegus

Species Synonyms:

Crataegus columbiana T.J. Howell
Crataegus williamsii Egglest.

Common Names:

black hawthorn
black-fruited hawthorn
Columbian hawthorn
Douglas’s hawthorn

DISTRIBUTION

Canada:

British Columbia – southern Alberta – southwestern Saskatchewan, south-central Ontario

Saskatchewan:

southwestern Saskatchewan; Cypress Hills – Gravelbourg

Ecoregion:

Cypress Upland, Mixed Grassland

HABITAT

Saskatchewan:

shore shrub-thickets and open woods

Associated Species:

aspen

RARITY STATUS

Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):

Vulnerable

Nature Conservancy Status:

G5T4 S2

Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:

None

COSEWIC Status:

None

Black hawthorn is vulnerable because it is rare or uncommon in Saskatchewan. It is only somewhat regionally restricted in the province and is usually locally numerous within limited areas. No threats are known or anticipated for this species at the present time.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION

Height:

1 – 1.5 m

Stems:

shrub or small tree; thorns stout, usually less than 2 cm long or absent

Leaves:

alternate, stalked, simple, 1.5 – 5 cm long, oval, hairless or nearly so, margin irregularly saw-toothed, more or less lobed on upper half; lobes in 2 – 4 pairs, small, irregular

Inflorescence:

branched, flat-topped, small

Flowers:

hypanthium cup-shaped; sepals 5; petals 5, white; stamens 5 – 10, anthers white or pale pink; carpels 2 - 5

Fruits:

berry-like, with an enlarged, fleshy hypanthium, purplish-black, juicy; seeds 3 – 5, irregularly pitted

CRATAEGUS KEY FOR SPECIES FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN

1 Fruit purplish-black; thorns absent or less than 2 cm	C. douglasii
1 Fruit orange to red; thorns 3 cm or longer	2

2 Seeds smooth on inner surface; leaf margins not gland-tipped; leaves widest below the middle	C. chrysocarpa
2 Seeds pitted on inner surface; leaf margins gland-tipped; leaves widest above the middle	C. succulenta