Species

Cotoneaster coriaceus

Etymology

Cotoneaster: From cotoneus an old Latin name for the quince, and possibly aster, corruption of adinstar 'resembling', i.e. quince-like

Common Name(s)

cotoneaster

Authority

Cotoneaster coriaceus Franchet

Family

Rosaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Exotic

NVS Species Code

COTLAC

The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Trees & Shrubs

Synonyms

Cotoneaster lacteus W.W.Sm

Habitat

Dry shrubland, forest margins, wasteland in urban places.

Features

Spreading evergreen shrub up to 3 m high. Young shoots buff tomentose and erect, later becoming glabrous, dark purplish and arching. Leaves up to 80m x 45 mm, slightly shining and with deeply impressed veins above, tomentose beneath, becoming less so with age. Flowers in clusters of 20-80, with spreading white petals. Fruit 5-8 mm diameter, glossy orange of scarlet red.

Similar Taxa

Generally similar to C. glaucophyllus but leaves with veins strongly impressed above. and more flowers in each cluster.

Flowering

November, December, January

Flower Colours

White

Fruiting

February-August.

Year Naturalised

1988

Origin

Yunnan (China)

Reproduction
Reproduces from seed.

Seed
Many seeds are produced per fruit, but viability is unknown at this stage.

Dispersal
Seed is widely distributed by birds.

Tolerances
Tolerant of wet-dry.

References and further reading

Dickore WB, Kasperek G. 2010: Species of Cotoneaster (Rosaceae, Maloideae) indigenous to, naturalising or commonly cultivated in Central Europe. Willdenowia 40(2): 13-45.

This page last updated on 30 Aug 2013