Flora of New Zealand Series

Deciduous or rarely semi-evergreen, shrubs or trees, not armed or rarely spiny; stems spreading to erect, sometimes suckering, often tomentose when young. Lvs distributed along long shoots or in fascicles on short shoots, sometimes present on older stems, simple or sometimes lobed, usually crenate or serrate; stipules usually small and free, deciduous, confined to long shoots. Fls in small umbel-like clusters, usually on short shoots, 5-merous, ⚥, pedicellate, often showy. Hypanthium tubular, closed at apex. Epicalyx 0. Calyx of sepals connate below; lobes short, usually persistent. Petals 5, suborbicular to ovate, spreading, white, pale pink to deep red. Stamens 15-50. Ovary inferior; carpels 3-5; styles usually 5, connate at base; ovules 2 or more per carpel. Fr. a pome, ovoid, ovoid-oblong, subglobose to globose, often large and very fleshy, usually lacking stone cells; flesh often sweet; skin green, yellow or red, sometimes streaked; carpel walls papery; seeds several.

c. 35 spp., Eurasia. Naturalised, 1 cultivated hybrid.

Malus as circumscribed here includes Eriobolus M. Roemer. In addition to M. × domestica and its hybrids, several other spp. are very common in cultivation in N.Z. The main ones are the Asiatic M. baccata (L.) Borkh., M. floribunda Van Houtte, M. trilobata (Labill.) C. Schneider and a double-flowered form of the N. American M. ioensis (Alph. Wood) Britton. There are also several hybrids and many cvs involving some of these spp. In addition to these spp. and hybrids, M. ×purpurea (Barbier) Rehder, purple crab apple, is one of the commonest small ornamental trees in N.Z., and is also used as a stock for other ornamental apples.