海棠花 hai tang hua

Pyrus spectabilis Aiton, Hort. Kew 2: 175. 1789; Malus domestica Borkhausen var. spectabilis (Aiton) Likhonos; M. microcarpa A. Savatier var. spectabilis (Aiton) Carrière.

Trees to 8 m tall. Branchlets reddish brown or purplish brown when old, terete, puberulous when young, glabrous when old; buds purplish brown, ovoid, sparsely pubescent. Stipules caducous, narrowly lanceolate, 4–6 mm, membranous, adaxially villous, margin entire, apex acuminate; petiole 1.5–2 cm, puberulous; leaf blade elliptic or narrowly elliptic, 5–8 × 2–3 cm, both surfaces sparsely puberulous when young, glabrescent, base broadly cuneate or subrounded, margin adpressed serrulate, apex shortly acuminate or rounded-obtuse. Corymb subumbel-like, 4–6 cm in diam., 4–6-flowered; bracts caducous, lanceolate, membranous, margin entire, apex acuminate. Pedicel 2–3 cm, pubescent. Flowers 4–5 cm in diam. Hypanthium campanulate, abaxially glabrous or white tomentose. Sepals triangular-ovate, 2–4 mm, slightly shorter than hypanthium, abaxially glabrous or pubescent, adaxially white tomentose, margin entire, apex acute. Petals white, pink in bud, ovate, 2–2.5 cm, base shortly clawed, apex rounded. Stamens 20–25, unequal, ca. 1/2 as long as petals. Ovary (4- or)5-loculed; with 2 ovules per locule; styles (4 or)5, slightly longer than stamens, white tomentose basally. Pome yellow, subglobose, ca. 2 cm in diam., not impressed at apex, convex at base; fruiting pedicel 3–3.5 cm, thickened distally, subglabrous; sepals persistent. Fl. Apr–May, fr. Aug–Sep. 2n = 34*, 51*.

Plains, mountain regions; 500--2000 m. Hebei, Jiangsu, Liaoning, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Yunnan, Zhejiang.

This species is one of the most famous ornamental trees in China, widely cultivated in the E and N regions. The cultivated var. riversii (G. Kirchner) Rehder has double, pink flowers, and f. albiplena Schelle, also cultivated, has double, white flowers.