Cotoneaster ludlowii G. Klotz, Wiss. Z. Martin-Luther-Univ. Halle-Wittenberg, Math.-Naturwiss. Reihe 12: 775. 1963; Type: Bhutan: F. Ludlow & G. Sherriff 19632B (Holotype: HAL).

Cotoneaster sherriffii G. Klotz, Wiss. Z. Martin-Luther-Univ. Halle-Wittenberg, Math.-Naturwiss. Reihe 12(10): 776. 1963; Type: Tibet, Kongbo-Prov. Molo, Lilung chu, 26 Jun 1938, F. Ludlow, G. Sherriff & G. Taylor 5677 (Holotype: BM).

Cotoneaster schlechtendalii G. Klotz, Wiss. Zeitschr. Mart.Luth. -Univ. Halle, Math.-Nat., xii. (Neue oder Krit.Coton.-Art.) 776. 1963; Type: S. Tibet, Sanga Choling, Charchu, 3150 m, 27 Sep 1936, F. Ludlow & G. Sherriff 2709 (Holotype: BM).

Shrubs, semi-evergreen or deciduous, erect, to 1.5 m tall or more, with dense, ascending to irregularly spreading branches. Branchlets spiralled, grayish brown to reddish, terete, initially sparsely accumbent strigose, glabrate, densely gray lenticellate when old. Petiole 1–4 mm, villous; stipules lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, villous; leaf blade dark or pale green adaxially, broadly elliptic or oblong-obovate to lanceolate-elliptic, rarely oblanceolate, 0.6–4 cm × 4–25 mm, papery or subleathery, midvein raised abaxially, impressed adaxially, abaxially densely yellowish or gray appressed villous, later subglabrous, adaxially villous or glabrous, base cuneate, rounded, or obtuse, apex rounded, obtuse, or acute, sometimes mucronate. Corymbs erect, 1–2.5 cm, 3–9(–15)-flowered; rachis and pedicels initially villous, glabrescent. Pedicel 3–6 mm. Flowers 9–10 mm in diam. Hypanthium campanulate, abaxially ± villous. Sepals triangular, apex acute. Petals spreading, white or pinkish, suborbicular, 3–4 mm in diam., adaxially puberulous near base, apex obtuse. Stamens 16–20, shorter than petals; anthers purple-black. Styles 1 or 2, not exceeding stamens. Fruit red or orange-red to bright red, globose or depressed-globose, 5–10 mm in diam.; nutlets (1 or)2. Fl. May–Jun, fr. Sep–Oct. 2n = 68.

River valleys, forests, slopes, shrubby areas; 2000–4000[–4100] m. Bhutan, China (W. Sichuan, S. Xizang/Tibet), India, Nepal.

Specimens examined at A: Nepal: Kolagaon, Barbung Khola, 3353 m, 3 Jun 1952, N. Polunin, V. R. Sykes & L. Williams 1054; Cent: Gandaki Zone, Gup (2000 m), 3 Aug 1994, M. Suzuki, N. Acharya, N. Fujii et al. 9455250; West: Dhaulagiri Zone, Mustang Distr., Ommang (3410 m), 28°44'N. 83°45'E., 4 Aug 1996, T. Hoshino, M. Amano, H. Koba et al. 9666160; West: Dhaulagiri Zone, Mustang Distr., Ommang (3380 m), 28°44'N. 83°45'E., 4 Aug 1996, T. Hoshino, M. Amano, H. Koba et al. 9666161; Cent: Dhawalagiri Zone, Mustang Distr., Kobang (2450 m), 25 Aug 1994, M. Mikage, N. Fujii, T. Kajita, et al. 9480207; Cent.: Gandaki Zone, Manang Dist., Pisang (3080 m), 15 Aug 1994, M. Mikage, N. Fujii, T. Kajita, et al. 9455309.

Grierson (1987) included Cotoneaster ludlowii within synonymy of C. sherriffii, and together, they are treated here within C. hebephyllus.

stem: posture: erect

plant: height: 75-150 cm tall

stem: branchlet: color: brown, gray, red

stem: branchlet: indumentum: type: glabrate, lenticellate, strigose

leaf: petiole: length: 1-4 mm

leaf: blade: shape: elliptic, lanceolate, oblanceolate, oblong, obovate

leaf: blade: length: 0.6-4 cm long

leaf: blade: width: 0.4-2.5 cm wide

leaf: blade: length: width ratio: 1.5-2.2

leaf: texture: leathery, papery

leaf: blade: abaxial surface: indumentum type: glabrescent, glabrous, villous

leaf: blade: adaxial surface: indumentum type: glabrescent, glabrous, villous

leaf: blade: base: cuneate, obtuse, rounded

leaf: blade: apex: acute, mucronate, obtuse, rounded

inflorescence: type: corymb

petal: color: pink, white

inflorescence: flowers: number: 3-15

petal: posture: spreading

pedicel: length: 3-6 mm

hypanthium: indumentum: type: villous

stamens: number: 16-20

anthers: color: black, purple

fruit: color: bright, red

fruit: shape: depressed, globose

fruit: diam.: 5-10 mm

nutlets: number: 1-2

flowering: May, Jun

fruiting: Sep, Oct

distribution: elevation: 2000-4100 m