Relatives

Sorbus commixta Hedl. - Japanese Rowan.

Taxonomic position.

Family Rosaceae Juss. genus Sorbus L.

Morphology and biology.

Deciduous tree 4-8(10) m tall. Bark of trunks and branches dark grey with numerous longitudinal lenticels. Young shoots glabrous, red-brown. Leaves imparipinnate of 9-13 leaflets. Leaflets lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, deeply biserrate at margin, glabrous, glutinous, paler beneath. Inflorescence a corymb 5-10 cm diameter. Flowers pentamerous, about 10 mm diameter. Petals white, orbicular. Stamens as long as petals. Styles 2-4. Fruits globose, bright red.
Entomophilous. Ornitho- and zoochore. Propagates by seeds and summer cuttings. Flowers in June, mature fruits in August - early September. 2n=34.

Distribution.

Russian Far East (Sakhalin Island, Kuril Islands - Shikotan, Kunashir, Iturup, Urup), Japan.

Ecology.

Mesophyte. Shade-resistant. Occurs in coniferous, mixed and Erman's birch forests, in forest openings, glades, on steep stony slopes. Grows well on felled areas and old fire sites.

Use and economic value.

Food, ornamental.

References:

Komarov VL., Zinserling YuD. 1939. Rowan, Whitebeam - Sorbus L. In: Komarov VL., Yuzepchuk SV., eds. Flora URSS. V.9. Moscow; Leningrad. P.382-383. (In Russian).
Koropachinskiy IYu., Vstovskaya TN. 2002. Woody plants of the Asian part of Russia. Novosibirsk: Publishing House of Siberian Division of the Russian Academy of Science, Branch "Geo". P.378-379. (In Russian).
Sokolov SI., Svjaseva OA., Kubli VA. 1980. Ranges of trees and shrubs of the USSR. V.2. Leningrad: Nauka. P.63. (In Russian).

© I.G.Chukhina

 

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