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Common hawthorn, espino albar

Crataegus monogyna

Description:

The Common Hawthorn is a shrub or small tree 5–14 m tall, with a dense crown. The bark is dull brown with vertical orange cracks. The younger stems bear sharp thorns, 1 to 1.5 cm long. The leaves are 2–4 cm long, obovate and deeply lobed, sometimes almost to the midrib, with the lobes spreading at a wide angle. The upper surface is dark green above and paler underneath. The hermaphrodite flowers are produced in late spring in corymbs of 5-25 together; each flower is about 1 cm diameter, and has five white petals, numerous red stamens, and a single style; they are moderately fragrant. They are pollinated by midges and later in the year bear numerous haws. The haw is a small, oval dark red fruit about 1 cm long, berry-like, but structurally a pome containing a single seed. Haws are important for wildlife in winter, particularly thrushes and waxwings; these birds eat the haws and disperse the seeds in their droppings. It is distinguished from the related but less widespread Midland Hawthorn (C. laevigata) by its more upright growth, the leaves being deeply lobed, with spreading lobes, and in the flowers having just one style, not two or three. However they are inter-fertile and hybrids occur frequently; they are only entirely distinct in their more typical forms.

Habitat:

Mediterranean forest. Dehesa de Valdelatas

Notes:

Spanish name: Majuelo, espino albar or espino blanco

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2 Comments

arlanda
arlanda 11 years ago

Gracias Eulalia

eulalia rubio
eulalia rubio 11 years ago

Está preciosa con las anteras de color rosa.

arlanda
Spotted by
arlanda

Alcobendas, Madrid, Spain

Spotted on May 8, 2012
Submitted on Jun 11, 2012

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Hawthorn mosphilla Hawthorn Common hawthorn

Nearby Spottings

Common Hawthorn, Majuelo Common green lacewing, crisopa Bramble Bramble, zarzamora

Reference

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