Sorbus thuringiaca subsp. boscii (Vivant ex Gamisans) Lambinon & Kerguélen in Candollea 43: 406 (1988)
Sorbus thuringiaca var. decurrens Koehne in Deut. Dendrol.: 248 (1893)
Sorbus thuringiaca var. subaria Rouy & E.G.Camus in G.Rouy & J.Foucaud, Fl. France 7: 20 (1901)
Sorbus thuringiaca var. subaucuparia Rouy & E.G.Camus in G.Rouy & J.Foucaud, Fl. France 7: 20 (1901)
Hedlundia thuringiaca is a widely cultivated species of ornamental
shrub.[1] It is cultivated by
grafting.
Description
It has purple-grey bark, which is smooth but begins cracking and flaking as it matures. The leaves are narrowly ovate to elliptic (in shape) 10 cm (3.9 in) long and 6 cm (2.4 in) wide. They are lobed, except at the very tip, the lobes become deeper towards the base, becoming toothed.
The leaves are glossy dark green above and grey and hair underneath. In late spring, it flowers with dense clusters of 5 petaled white flowers, which
are 1.2 cm (0.5 in) wide. After flowering, it produces a rounded, bright red berry which is 1 cm (0.4 in) wide.[2]
Taxonomy
It is a diploid hybrid between Sorbus aucuparia and the diploid Aria edulis.[3] It is rare in the wild but occurs at scattered sites across much of Europe[4] (within Austria, Czechoslovakia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Ireland, Romania and Switzerland,[1]) and Turkey.[2]
^Chester, M.; Cowan, R.S.; Fay, M.F.; Rich, T.C.G. (2007). Parentage of endemic Sorbus L. (Rosaceae) species in the British Isles: evidence from plastid DNA. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society. 154(3): 291–304.