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Nomenclature etc. ROSACEAE. Species included in the description: C. azarolus L. (1), C. coccinea L. (1), C. laevigata (Poir.) DC (1), C. melanocarpa Bieb. (1), C. monogyna Jacq. (1), C. oxycantha L. (4), C. pinnatifida Bunge (1). Trade and local names: aubépin, noble épin (FR); bianco spino (IT); espino blanco (ES); ak diken (TR). Not protected under CITES regulations.
Small tree. Geographic distribution: Europe, excl. Mediterranean, Mediterranean incl. N. Africa and Middle East, temperate Asia, North America.
General. Growth ring boundaries distinct (marked by radially flattened and thick walled fbres (latewood)). Heartwood basically brown. Sapwood colour similar to heartwood colour. Density 0.8–0.9 g/cm³.
Vessels. Vessels present. Wood diffuse porous. Vessels exclusively solitary or in multiples (vessels exclusively solitary in: C. coccinia, C. monogyna), commonly in short (2–3 vessels) radial rows. Vessel outline angular. Vessel multiples often with diagonal or tangential orientation. Average tangential vessel diameter (20–)30(–45) µm. Average number of vessels/mm² 160–300. Perforation plates simple. Intervessel pits alternate, average diameter (vertical) 6–8 µm. Very few pits, mostly in just one vertical row. Vessel-ray pits with distinct borders, similar to intervessel pits (but smaller than intervessel pits). Helical thickenings present or absent, only in narrow vessel elements or in narrow and wide vessel elements, throughout the body of vessel elements. Tyloses absent.
Tracheids and fibres. Fibres of medium wall thickness. Fibre pits common in both radial and tangential walls, distinctly bordered. Fibres non-septate.
Axial parenchyma. Axial parenchyma apotracheal, or paratracheal (short lines of parenchyma in: C. laevigata, C. monogyna). Apotracheal axial parenchyma diffuse and diffuse-in-aggregates. Paratracheal axial parenchyma scanty. Axial parenchyma as strands. Average number of cells per strand: 3–6.
Rays. Rays (8–)10–12(–15) per tangential mm, multiseriate, 1–3(–5) cells wide. Height of large rays up to 500 µm. Rays composed of a single cell type (homocellular) and two or more cell types (heterocellular); homocellular ray cells procumbent. Heterocellular rays with square and upright cells restricted to marginal rows, mostly 1 marginal row of upright or square cells. Disjunctive ray parenchyma end walls distinct and indistinct or absent.
Storied structures. Storied structure absent.
Mineral inclusions. Crystals present and not observed, prismatic, located in axial parenchyma cells (crystals observed in: C. azarolobus, C. coccinia, C. oxycantha). Crystal-containing axial parenchyma cells chambered. Number of crystals per cell or chamber one. Crystal containing cells of normal size and enlarged (idioblasts). Silica not observed.
Physical and chemical tests. Heartwood not fluorescent. Water extract fluorescent; colour of water extract colourless to brown. Ethanol extract fluorescent. Colour of ethanol extract colourless to brown. Froth test weakly positive. Splinter burns to partial ash. Ash white to grey.
Illustrations. • Transverse section. Crataegus coccinea. • Tangential section. Crataegus aestivalis. prismatic crystals in chambered axial parenchyma. • Radial section. Crataegus aestivalis.
The interactive key allows access to the character list, illustrations, full and partial descriptions, diagnostic descriptions, differences and similarities between taxa, lists of taxa exhibiting specified attributes, summaries of attributes within groups of taxa, and geographical distribution.
Cite this publication as: ‘Richter, H.G., and Dallwitz, M.J. 2000 onwards. Commercial timbers: descriptions, illustrations, identification, and information retrieval. In English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish. Version: 9th April 2019. delta-intkey.com’.
