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HSH The Prince d'Arenberg
Julian Sutton (2023)
Recommended citation
Sutton, J. (2023), '× Crataemespilus gillotii' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.
This name covers any hybrid between Crataegus monogyna and Mespilus germanica. Such a plant was first described – in mind-boggling detail – by the 19th century French doctor and enthusiastic botanist François-Xavier Gillot (usually known simply as Dr Gillot), who was shown it by a local priest in a hedge near his home in Autun, Saône-et-Loire (Gillot 1876). Bean (1976) described it as resembling × C. grandiflora but with leaves lobed but not toothed, and smaller flowers with two styles. Phipps (2016) noted that the stipules are serrate rather than entire. However, Phipps concluded that despite their different origins, × C. grandiflora is sufficiently variable that the two cannot be reliably distinguished in a key. Similar hybrids have been found in other parts of France (Bean 1976); it is extremely rarely, if ever, seen in collections today.