Malus transitoria
Malus transitoria (Batalin) C.K.Schneid.
Malus transitoria is a species of the Rosaceae family, native to southern Asia, particularly China. It is a small tree or shrub, 3–5 m tall, with ovate to oval leaves and white flowers that bloom from April to May. The species produces small, yellow to red pomes in September. It grows in forested areas on slopes and loess hills at elevations between 1500 and 3900 m. Chromosome numbers are 2n = 34, 51. The species exhibits significant morphological variation, and several varieties have been proposed as synonyms. It is closely related to Malus kansuensis and M. toringoides, with hybridization observed in overlapping zones.
Description
Malus transitoria is a member of the genus Malus, native to regions in China including North-Central, South-Central, Inner Mongolia, Manchuria, and Qinghai. It is a small tree or shrub, reaching 3–5 m in height, with terete branches that are pubescent when young and glabrescent with age. Leaves are petiolate, with a crenate to serrulate margin and a 3–5-lobed blade. The inflorescence is an umbelliform corymb with 3–6 white flowers. The pome is small, subglobose, and 0.6–0.8 cm in diameter. This species is found in terrestrial, seasonally green habitats, often in forested slopes. It is known to hybridize with related species such as M. kansuensis and M. toringoides in overlapping ranges.
Distribution
Southern Asia · Global · China North-Central · China South-Central · Inner Mongolia · Manchuria · Qinghai
Synonyms
Malus transitoria var. glabrescensPyrus transitoriaSinomalus transitoria
