Hedlundia takhtajanii
Credits
Article from New Trees by John Grimshaw & Ross Bayton
Recommended citation
'Hedlundia takhtajanii' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.
Genus
Synonyms
- Pyrus takhtajanii (Gabrieljan) M.F.Fay & Christenh.
- Sorbus takhtajanii Gabrieljan
- Sorbus persica var. acutilobata Gabrieljan
Editorial Note
The text below is from New Trees (Grimshaw & Bayton 2009) who discussed this taxon under the name Sorbus takhtajanii. We have created this hybrid article – New Trees text under the correct modern name, with appropriate synonymy – whilst we await sponsorship to enable a full revision of this genus to be written. We are re-organising the Sorbus sensu lato articles in this way to enable a new revision of Sorbus sensu stricto to commence in 2023, and to bring the nomenclature of this complex group of plants up to date in line with modern treatments.
TC, September 2023.
Tree to 7 m. Branchlets smooth, glabrous, with a few lenticels. Buds hairy, 0.5–0.7 cm long. Leaves 6.5–8.5 × 4.5–5.5 cm, rhombic to elliptical, upper surface glabrous, lower surface white-tomentose, six to seven secondary veins on each side of the midrib, craspedodromous, margins lobed, apex acute; petiole 1.5–2 cm long, pubescent. Inflorescence corymbose and pubescent. Flowers white, hermaphrodite; hypanthium shallowly turbinate, sepals acute and persistent, petals 0.5 cm long. Fruit orange or reddish, 1.1–1.2 × 0.9–1.1 cm, covered with lenticels. Flowering May to July, fruiting August to September (wild plants). Aldasoro et al. 2004. Distribution ARMENIA; AZERBAIJAN; IRAN; TURKEY. Habitat Mountain slopes and forest margins, between 1200 and 2200 m asl. USDA Hardiness Zone 5–6. Conservation status Not evaluated. Illustration More & White 2003.
Sorbus takhtajanii is represented in several British arboreta and is reasonably distinct on account of its dark green leaves with a bright white underside. The leaves are strongly toothed in their upper half. It is one of the Armenian species whose introduction is described above. All of them have proved to be relatively slow-growing, having champions of no more than 4–5 m (TROBI) as yet.