Crataegus douglasii

Crataegus douglasii is a North American species of hawthorn known by the common names black hawthorn and Douglas' thornapple. It is most abundant in the Pacific Northwest.

Crataegus douglasii
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Rosales
Family:	Rosaceae
Genus:	Crataegus
Species:	C. douglasii
Binomial name
Crataegus douglasii Lindl.
Natural range of Crataegus douglasii
Synonyms
C. brockwayae Sarg.[2] C. columbiana Howell[3]

Description

Crataegus douglasii is a compact erect bushy shrub growing to 8–9 metres (26–30 feet) tall with a trunk of up to 10 centimetres (4 inches) thick.^[4] It is covered in fan-shaped green leaves about 2.5–5 cm (1–2 in) long^[4] with teeth along the distal margin. Thorns along the branches are 1–2.5 cm long.^[4]

White flowers with greenish centers grow in bunches at the ends of each thin branch. The fruit is a blackish pome up to about 1 cm across, containing 3–5 rocklike seeds.^[4]

Taxonomy

The species is named after David Douglas, who collected seed from the plant during his botanical explorations.^[5]

Formerly placed within the species, Crataegus douglasii var. duchesnensis is now considered to be a synonym of Crataegus saligna.

Distribution and habitat

The thorny shrub is native to northern and western North America, where it grows in varied habitats from forest to scrubland. It is most abundant in the Pacific Northwest.

Ecology

The foliage is browsed by cattle and sheep. Various birds, including quail, the Hungarian partridge, and ring-necked pheasant feed on the berries,^[5][6] as do bears and other animals.^[4] Magpies nest in the branches.^[4] The species is a larval host to the gray hairstreak, mourning cloak, pale tiger swallowtail, and western tiger swallowtail.^[7]

Uses

The edible fruits^[8] were a good food source for Native American peoples such as the Cheyenne and Nlaka'pamux.^{[citation needed]}

Gallery

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  Straight, stout thorns are one to two centimeters long.^[9]
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  The white flowers have greenish centers.
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  Crataegus douglasii
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  The leaf margin is toothed and usually slightly lobed.
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  Crataegus douglasii leaves changing color in fall.
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  The mature bark is grey and rough.^[10]
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  Crataegus douglasii
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  Crataegus douglasii JEPS109866 (4496863581)

See also

• List of hawthorn species with black fruit