Amelanchier Med.
Amelanchier is a genus of probably 20 species, all confined to the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere. As a result of apomixis and hybridization taxonomy of Amelanchier is very complex. One species, Amelanchier ovalis Med., is native close to the Belgian frontiers and has been reliably recorded from Belgium before 1850 near Verviers (Schroeder 1972). Its residence status is uncertain: it might as well be a very rare (or extinct) native or an exceptional escape from cultivation in Belgium.
In addition to the species included in this account several others may have been overlooked in Belgium, for instance Amelanchier alnifolia (Nutt.) Nutt. (e.g. Amarell & Welk 1995, Lepši & Lepši 2008).
Additional up-to-date information on the systematics and evolution of Amelanchier is available at http://sbe.umaine.edu/amelanchier/.
1 Styles very short, ca. 1 mm long, shorter than the hypanthium, free to base. Leaves coarsely serrate, with 3-5 rounded teeth per cm. Petals usually woolly outside (native?) === Amelanchier ovalis
Styles longer, 2-4,5 mm long, obviously exceeding hypanthium, connate at least near base. Leaves finely serrate, with 5-7 acute teeth per cm. Petals glabrous outside, at most ciliate at margins === 2
2 Ovary glabrous at apex. Inflorescence lax with lower pedicels clearly longer than upper. Petals lanceolate (ca. 3x as long as wide), 10-15 mm long, glabrous. Young leaves purplish or copper-coloured, not densely woolly beneath. Mature leaves ca. twice as long as wide, shortly acuminate at apex Conspicuous autumn colouring (yellow, orange or crimson) === Amelanchier lamarckii
Ovary densely woolly at apex. Inflorescence dense with all pedicels of more or less equal length. Petals obovate (ca. twice as long as wide), 6-10 mm long, ciliate at margins. Young leaves light to olive green, densely yellowish woolly beneath. Mature leaves about as long as wide, rounded to cuspidate at apex. No conspicuous autumn colouring === A. spicata
Literature:
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