Malus prunifolia

Malus prunifolia
Malus prunifolia[1]
Conservation status
Data Deficient  (IUCN 3.1)[2]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Rosales
Family:	Rosaceae
Genus:	Malus
Species:	M. prunifolia
Binomial name
Malus prunifolia (Willd.) Borkh.[3]

Malus prunifolia is a species of crabapple tree known by the common names plumleaf crab apple,^[4] plum-leaved apple,^[5] pear-leaf crabapple, Chinese apple and Chinese crabapple.^[6] It is native to China.

Description

It reaches from between 3 and 8 metres (10 and 26 ft) tall and bears white flowers and yellow or red fruit.^[3]

Taxonomy

It was described botanically by Willdenow in the genus Pyrus and was transferred to Malus in 1803.^[7]

Varieties

Malus prunifolia has at least four varieties, some are grown for their fruit:^[6][8][9]

• Malus prunifolia var. obliquipedicellata X.W. Li & J.W. Sun
• M. prunifolia var. prunifolia
• M. prunifolia var. ringo Asami (Chinese apple)
• M. prunifolia var. rinki (Koidz.) Rehder P.L.Wilson (plum-leaf or Chinese crabapple)

Distribution and habitat

Malus prunifolia is found in China in the provinces of Gansu, Guizhou, Hebei, Henan, Liaoning, Nei Mongol, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, and possibly Xinjiang. It is adapted to grow at a variety of elevations from sea-level plains, to slopes as high as 1,300 m (4,300 ft).^[3]

Uses

Outside of China, it is grown for use as an ornamental tree or as rootstock.^{[citation needed]}

References

1. Cirrus Digital Plum-leaved Crabapple
2. Rhodes, L.; Maxted, N. (2016). "Malus prunifolia". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T50050135A50050138. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T50050135A50050138.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
3. "Malus prunifolia (Willdenow) Borkhausen". Flora of China. eFloras. p. 184. Retrieved September 11, 2009.
4. NRCS. "Malus prunifolia". PLANTS Database. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 27 January 2016.
5. BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
6. "Search results for: Malus". Archived from the original on April 4, 2010. Retrieved September 11, 2009.
7. [1] The International Plant Names Index
8. "Name Search : Malus prunifolia". Tropicos. St. Louis, Missouri: Missouri Botanical Garden. Retrieved September 11, 2009.
9. Michel H. Porcher (May 10, 2005). "Sorting Malus names". Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database. University of Melbourne. Retrieved September 11, 2009.