Crataegus adunca Beadle

Shrubs or trees, 50–60 dm, branches ± weeping. Stems: twigs: new growth densely tomentose, 1-year old dark gray, older gray, ˂± stout˃; thorns on twigs ˂usually sparse or absent˃, ± recurved, 1-year old dark blackish gray, slender, 2–3 cm. Leaves: petiole ˂slender˃, length 20–30% blade, pubescent, glandular; blade broadly oblong to cuneate, 2–3 cm (at anthesis, larger mature), ± thick, firm, base evenly tapered, lobes 0, margins crenate-serrate, veins 3–5 per side, ˂adaxially shiny mature˃, apex ± flattened to slightly cuspidate, abaxial surface pubescent only on veins, adaxial glabrate young. Inflorescences 3–6-flowered; branches tomentose; bracteoles linear, margins sessile-glandular, ˂adaxially short-pubescent˃. Flowers 20–25 mm diam.; hypanthium tomentose; sepals narrowly triangular, margins glandular-serrate, abaxially appressed-white-pubescent in center of laminae, edges glabrate; anthers yellow; styles 3–5. Pomes red ˂often very glaucous on drying˃, suborbicular to pyriform, 10–15 mm diam., glabrate; sepals spreading; pyrenes 3–5.

Flowering Mar–Apr; fruiting Jul–Aug. Open woods; 0–200 m; Ala., Fla.

Usually scarce, Crataegus alabamensis occurs in south-central Alabama and northern Florida near Tallahassee. The type location is recorded as being on clay soil near Montgomery, Alabama, a somewhat unusual habitat for this series.

Crataegus alabamensis, with its crenate-serrate leaves, resembles the larger forms of C. condigna (subser. Tenues); it is a more robust plant with much larger flowers and fruits. The type form has leaves particularly wide relative to length. The rare C. adunca has, unusually for this series, violet anthers.