Dwarf whitebeam

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Dwarf whitebeam
Dwarf whitebeam (Sorbus chamaemespilus) in autumn

Dwarf whitebeam ( Sorbus chamaemespilus ) in autumn

Systematics
Family : Rose family (Rosaceae)
Subfamily : Spiraeoideae
Tribe : Pyreae
Sub tribus : Pome fruit family (Pyrinae)
Genre : White berries ( sorbus )
Type : Dwarf whitebeam
Scientific name
Sorbus chamaemespilus
( L. ) Crantz

The dwarf whitebeam ( Sorbus chamaemespilus ), also called mountain whitebeam , is a species of the whitebeam genus ( Sorbus ) in the pome fruit family (Pyrinae). In Central Europe it is the species of this genus with the lowest stature. It can hardly be confused, the leaves are similar to the leaves of the real whitebeam , but it usually grows very scattered and does not form dense bushes. Its distribution area is in the mountains of Central and Southern Europe, in Germany it is rare.

description

bud
Habit, leaves and inflorescences
Branch with leaves and inflorescence
Branch with leaves and ripe fruits
Illustration from Atlas of Alpine Flora

Vegetative characteristics

The dwarf whitebeam is a moderately branched and often bushy, deciduous shrub that reaches heights of 1 to 1.5, rarely up to 3 meters. The bark of the slightly angular or grooved twigs is reddish brown, initially tomentose and later balding; it has large, bright lenticels (cork pores). The winter buds are egg-shaped to oblong-egg-shaped with a length of 7 to 10 millimeters and the bud scales are greenish-brown, ciliate or woolly hairy. An end bud is always formed.

The alternate leaves arranged on the branches are divided into petiole and leaf blade. The petiole is 5 to 10 millimeters long. The simple, leathery leaf blade is elongated-ovoid to elliptical with a length of 3 to 7 centimeters with a broad, wedge-shaped to rounded blade base. There are six to nine pairs of nerves. The upper side of the leaf is glabrous and shiny, the underside of the leaf is more or less blue-green, glabrous to slightly white tomentose. The leaf margin is evenly serrated. The stipules are shed early.

Generative characteristics

The flowering period extends from June to July. At the end of young branches are dense, downy hairy Schirmrispigen inflorescences . The hermaphroditic flowers are radial symmetry and five-fold with a double flower envelope . The five-fold sepals are narrow and triangular with a length of up to 1.5 millimeters. The five relatively inconspicuous, upright, pink to reddish, light pink to red petals are egg-shaped with a length of 4 to 5 millimeters. The twenty stamens are shorter than the crown. The stamens either mature after ( protogyny ) or at the same time as the stigma (homogamy). On the two almost completely overgrown carpels ever there is a stylus .

The brown-red to scarlet-red fruits when ripe are obovate to spherical and from 12 to 15 millimeters in length. The sepals remain on the fruit. The "pulp" does not contain stone cells and is edible. Each fruit usually contains four, 6 millimeters large, dark brown seeds . The fruits ripen in August and September.

The number of chromosomes is 2n = 34.

Occurrence

The distribution area of the dwarf whitebeam extends over the mountains of central and southern Europe ; it is found in the Pyrenees , the Jura , the Alps , the northern Apennines , the Carpathians and the Dinaric mountains . In Central Europe it also occurs in the Swiss Jura , in the Vosges , in the Black Forest and in the northern Alps .

It is the character species of the Schneeheide-Alpenrosengesellschaft, and grows together with the alpine clematis , the mountain rose , the real daphne and the alpine honeysuckle . They can be found in pine and sparse larch forests , in tall herbaceous fields and pine stands . It thrives on loose, humus-rich, shallow to medium-sized, mostly stony loam soils, mostly on rock containing carbonate . It prefers full sun and warm summer locations at altitudes of 800 to 2000 meters. In the Alps it is a character species of the Erico-Rhododendretum hirsuti, in the Black Forest a character species of the Sorbo-Calamagrosteitum from the Calamagrostion association. In the Allgäu Alps, it rises to an altitude of 2000 meters.

ecology

Due to the upright position of the petals, only bees, wasps and long-nosed flies reach the nectar, which is formed in large quantities together with pollen. The ripe fruits are edible and are consumed by birds and mammals, who thereby also spread the seeds.

Systematics and taxonomy

The dwarf whitebeam is assigned together with the Sudeten cotoneaster ( Sorbus sudetica ) of the Chamaemespilus section of the subgenus Aria in the genus of whitebeams ( Sorbus ).

The specific epithet chamaemespilus is derived from the Greek "chamai" for low and nos "mespilos" medlar.

It forms a hybrid with the real whitebeam , the felty whitebeam ( Sorbus × ambigua Michalet ). This grows to a height similar to that of the dwarf whitebeam, but has somewhat wider leaves and a double-serrated leaf margin. The flowers are pale pink in color. The distribution area of ​​this bastard extends from the Vosges over the Black Forest to the Alps. It has similar demands on soil and location as the dwarf whitebeam. The Sorbus Chamaemespilus forms with other haws bastards .

Synonyms for Sorbus chamaemespilus (L.) Crantz are: Aria chamaemespilus (L.) Host , Chamaemespilus alpina (Mill.) KR Robertson & JB Phipps , Mespilus chamaemespilus L. , Pyrus chamaemespilus (L.) Ehrh. , Chamaemespilus humilis M. Roem. , Crataegus alpina Mill. , Pyrus alpina (Mill.) Du Roi .

Common names

The dwarf-Haw is also called cotoneaster, leading to confusion with the species of the genus cotoneaster ( Cotoneaster leads). Another German name is dwarf rowan.

use

Because of its fruit decoration, the dwarf whitebeam is used as an ornamental plant , but is only rarely planted. In the past, the fruits were used as a flour additive.

proof

literature

  • Ulrich Hecker: Trees and Bushes . FSVO manual. BLV Buchverlag, Munich 2006, ISBN 3-8354-0021-5 , p. 338-339 .
  • Andreas Roloff, Andreas Bärtels: Flora of the woods. Purpose, properties and use . 3rd, corrected edition. Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart (Hohenheim) 2008, ISBN 978-3-8001-5614-6 , pp. 611 .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Sorbus chamaemespilus (L.) Crantz, dwarf whitebeam. In: FloraWeb.de.
  2. ^ Jost Fitschen: Woody flora . 12th, revised and expanded edition. Quelle & Meyer, Wiebelsheim 2007, ISBN 3-494-01422-1 , p. 802 .
  3. ↑ a b c Hecker: Trees and Bushes , p. 339
  4. ↑ a b c d e f g h i Hecker: Trees and Bushes , p. 338
  5. ↑ a b c d e f Roloff et al .: Flora der Gehölze , p. 611
  6. ^ Erich Oberdorfer : Plant-sociological excursion flora for Germany and neighboring areas . With the collaboration of Angelika Schwabe and Theo Müller. 8th, heavily revised and expanded edition. Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart (Hohenheim) 2001, ISBN 3-8001-3131-5 , pp.  506 .
  7. ↑ Erhard Dörr, Wolfgang Lippert : Flora of the Allgäu and its surroundings. Volume 2, IHW, Eching 2004, ISBN 3-930167-61-1 , p. 103.
  8. ↑ Sorbus chamaemespilus in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), USDA , ARS , National Genetic Resources Program. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Retrieved September 9, 2010.
  9. ↑ Peter Schütt , Hans Joachim Schuck, Bernd Stimm (ed.): Lexicon of tree and shrub species. The standard work of forest botany. Morphology, pathology, ecology and systematics of important tree and shrub species . Nikol, Hamburg 2002, ISBN 3-933203-53-8 , pp.  489 (reprinted 1992).

Web links

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