Cotoneaster spp.

Cotoneaster spp. 


Cotoneaster 

Introduction 

Cotoneaster, a medium-sized genus of 

the Rosaceae, consists of 90 species, 

distributed in temperate regions of 

Europe, North Africa, and most areas 

of Asia (except Japan). In China, 58 

species occur mainly in the south and 

southwest area of the country [184] . 

Species of Cotoneaster in 

China 

Leaves and colorful fruits of Cotoneaster microphyllus. 

Scientific Name 

Scientific Name 

C. acuminatus Lindl. C. mongolicus Pojark. 

C. acutifolius Turcz. C. morrisonensis Hayata 

C. adpressus Bois C. moupinensis Franch. 

C. affinis Lindl. C. multiflorus Bge. 

C. ambiguus Rehd. et Wils. C. nitens Rehd. et Wils. 

C. apiculatus Rehd. et Wils. C. nitidifolius Marq. 

C. bullatus Bois C. nitidus Jacq. 

C. buxifolius Lindl. C. obscurus Rehd. et Wils. 

C. chengkangensis Yü C. oliganthus Pojark. 

C. coriaceus Franch. C. pannosus Franch. 

C. dammerii Schneid. C. reticulatus Rehd. et Wils. 

C. dielsianus Pritz. C. rhytidophyllus Rehd. et Wils. 

C. divaricatus Rehd. et Wils. C. rotundifolius Wall. ex Lindl. 

C. fangianus Yü C. rubens W. W. Smith. 

C. foveolatus Rehd. et Wils. C. salicifolius Franch. 

C. franchetii Bois C. sanguineus Yü 

C. frigidus Wall. ex Lindl. C. schantungensis Klotz 

C. glabratus Rehd. et Wils. C. sherriffii Klotz 

C. glaucophyllus Franch. C. silvestrii Pamp. 

C. glomerulatus W. W. Smith C. soongoricus (Regel et Herd.) Popov 

C. gracilis Rehd. et Wils. C. subadpressus Yü 

C. harrovianus Wils. C. submultiflorus Popov 

C. harrysmithii Flinck et Hylmö C. taylorii Yü 

C. hebephyllus Diels C. tenuipes Rehd. et Wils. 

C. horizontalis Dcne. C. turbinatus Craib 

C. integerrimus Medic. C. uniflorus Bge. 

C. langei Klotz C. verruculosus Diels 

C. melanocarpus Lodd. C. wardii W. W. Smith 

C. microphyllus Wall. ex Lindl. C. zabelii Schneid. 

I. Cotoneaster microphyllus 

Small leaf cotoneaster, rock spray 

cotoneaster. 

Taxonomy 

Family: Rosaceae 

Genus: Cotoneaster B. Ehrhart 

Description 

Cotoneaster microphyllus is a dwarf 

evergreen shrub that can grow to 1 m 

tall. The nearly cylindrical, spreading 

branches are reddish brown or darker, 

yellow-pubescent, and gradually glabrous. 

Slightly rolled downward in the margin, 

the thick leaves are leathery, obovate 

to oblong-obovate, 4-10 mm long 

and 2.5-7 mm wide, with apex being 

obtuse, rarely retuse or acute, and 

base broadly cuneate. Upper surface 

of the leaves is glabrous or sparsely 

pubescent; the lower surface is pale 

and pubescent. Appearing from May 

to June, the terminal inflorescence is 

1 cm in diameter, usually solitary, or 

occasionally in groups of three, with 

bell-shaped hypanthium that is sparsely 

pubescent outside and glabrous inside. 

Sepals are ovate-triangular and apically 

obtuse. White petals are spreading, 

suborbicular, about 4 mm in length 

and width. The fruit, a red, globose, 

drupe-like pome, 5-6 mm in diameter and 

often containing two pyrenes, appears 

in August to September [184] . 

60 — Invasive Plants of Asian Origin Established in the US and Their Natural Enemies


Habitat 

Cotoneaster microphyllus occurs on 

rocky mountain slopes, in thickets, 

and in river valleys, at elevations of 

2,000–4,200 m [184] . 

Distribution 

Cotoneaster microphyllus occurs in 

Sichuan, Tibet, and Yunnan provinces 

[184] 

. 

Economic Importance 

Cotoneaster microphyllus is well suited 

for use as an ornamental because of its 

graceful white flowers in spring and 

brilliant red fruit in autumn [184] . 

Related Species 

There are 4 varieties within the 

species: 

1) Cotoneaster microphyllus var. 

conspiocuus Messel has a wider growth 

form and broader leaves and fruits, and 

occurs at elevations of 2,700–3,300 m 

in the Brahmaputra River valley, Tibet. 

The fruit has important ornamental value 

due to its persistent brilliant color. 

2) Cotoneaster microphyllus var. glacialis 

Hook. f. occurs in rocky mountainous 

areas at elevations of 3,900-4,200 m 

in southeastern Tibet. 


cochleatus (Franch.) Rehd. et Wils., 

with revolute leaves, and occurs in 

Yunnan and Sichuan. 


thymifolius (Baker) Koehne has 

relatively narrow, revolute leaves and 

bright red fruit, occurs at elevations of 

3,000-4,000 m, in northwestern Yunnan, 

and southeastern Tibet [184] . 

II. Cotoneaster pannosus 

Taxonomy 

Family: Rosaceae 

Genus: Cotoneaster B. Ehrhart 

broadly cuneate at the base, with midrib 

impressed on the glabrous or sparsely 

pubescent upper surface and raised on 

the densely tomentose lower surface. 

Generally consisting of less than ten 

flowers (21 at the maximum), corymbs 

are 1-3 cm in diameter and 1.5-2.5 

cm in length, with dense hair-covered 

pedicel and rachis. Bracts are linear 

and caducous. Flowers are 8 mm in 

diameter, with bell-shaped calyx and 

triangular, apically short acuminate or 

acute sepals; both are glabrous inside 

and densely hairy outside. Petals are 

white, broadly ovate or subglobose, 

3-3.5 mm in length with an obtuse 

apex and a short claw-bearing base. 

Fruits are red, globose or ovate, 7-8 

mm in diameter, enclosing two pyrenes. 

Flowers appear in June to July and 

fruits in October [184] . 

Habitat 

Cotoneaster pannosus occurs in 

mountainous scrub land, rocky areas, 

or wastelands at elevations of 1,100- 

3,200 m [184] . 

Distribution 

Cotoneaster pannosus is native to 

Sichuan and Yunnan [184] . 

Related Species 

One variety, C. pannosus var. robustior, 

has narrowly elliptic leaf blades, and 

occurs in northwestern Sichuan. 

Another two cotoneasters are apparently 

similar to C. pannosus. C. franchetii 

Description 

Cotoneaster pannosus is a semievergreen 

shrub up to 2 m in diameter 

with arch-like branches. Branchlets are 

thin, dark brown, and initially covered 

with short, dense hairs that are shed 

as it matures. Leaves are elliptic or 

ovate, 1-2.5 cm long and 0.8-1.5 cm 

wide, obtuse or acute apically and 

Cotoneaster pannosus invading mountainous scrubland. 

Invasive Plants of Asian Origin Established in the US and Their Natural Enemies — 61


Bois is distinguished by the densely 

pubescent upper leaf surface, shorter 

petioles, erect petals, and orange fruits 

containing three pyrenes; C. silvestrii 

Pamp. has thinner leaves, which are 

sparsely hairy on the underside, and 

yellow stamens. The fruits contain a 

single pyrene. [184] . 

Natural Enemies of 

Cotoneaster 

Eight fungi and three arthropods are 

reported to attack members of the genus 

Cotoneaster. 

Fungi 

Phylum Family Species H. R. Ref. 

Ascomycota Erysiphaceae Phyllactinia pyri (Castagne) Homma po 22 

Aecidium cunninghamianum Barclay mo 23 

Coleopuccinia kunmingensis F.L. Tai o 23 

Incertae sedis 

Roestelia nanwutaiana (T.L. Tai & C.C. Cheo) 

Basidiomycota 

Jørst. 

oo 23 

Roestelia sikangensis (Petr.) Jørst. oo 23 

Pucciniaceae 

Gymnosporangium clavariiforme (Jacq.) DC. po 23 

Gymnosporangium confusum Plowr. oo 23 

Anamorphic Mycosphaerella 

Pseudocercospora cotoneastri (Katsuki & Ts. 

Kobay.) Deighton 

oo 110 † 

† 

Recorded as Pseudocercospora cotoneasteris (Kats. et Kobayashi) Deighton 

Arthropods 

Order Family Species H. R. Ref. 

mo 140 

Coleoptera Scolytidae Scolytus abaensis Tsai et Yin 

oo 182 

Homoptera Pseudococcidae Pseudococcus comstocki (Kuwana) po 150 

oo 40 ‡ 

Lepidoptera Arctiidae Arctia flavia (Fueszly) 

oo 41 

‡ 

Recorded as Phragmatobia flavia (Fuessly) 

62 — Invasive Plants of Asian Origin Established in the US and Their Natural Enemies

Cotoneaster spp.

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