Cluster Flower Cotoneaster

Shrubs deciduous, (0.3–)1–2.5 m tall, with spreading or ascending branches. Branchlets grayish brown or reddish brown, terete, slender, initially densely gray tomentose, glabrous when old. Petiole (1.4–)2–5 mm, tomentose; leaf blade oblong to elliptic, suborbicular, or ovate, rarely obovate, (1–)1.5–5 × (0.5–)1–2 cm, herbaceous or papery, veins raised abaxially and slightly impressed adaxially, abaxially white tomentose, adaxially glabrous or slightly pilose, base rounded or broadly cuneate, apex usually obtuse and mucronate, often emarginate, sometimes acute or shortly acuminate. Corymbs (0.5–)1.5–2 cm, (3–)5–9(–12)-flowered; rachis and pedicels white tomentose. Pedicel 2–3 mm. Flowers 8–9 mm in diam. Hypanthium campanulate or turbinate, abaxially white tomentose. Sepals broadly triangular, 1–2 mm, subglabrous or glabrous, apex acute. Petals spreading, white, suborbicular or ovate to obovate, 2.5–3.5 × 2–3 mm, adaxially white puberulous near base, base shortly clawed, apex obtuse, rarely emarginate. Stamens 18–20, slightly shorter than petals; anthers yellow, rarely purple. Ovary densely white pubescent apically; styles 2, free, not exceeding stamens. Fruit red to bright red, broadly ellipsoid to ovoid or subglobose, (5–)8–10 mm; pyrenes (1 or)2. Fl. (Apr-)May-Jun, fr. Jul-Sep(-Oct).

Himalaya (Kashmir to Nepal); Afghanistan, China (Gansu, Hebei, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Qinghai, Shanxi, Sichuan, Xinjiang, Xizang/Tibet, Yunnan), Kashmir, Nepal, Turkmenistan; N. Africa, S.W. Asia (N Iran, Syria).

Shrub thickets on dry, stony slopes, forests, forest margins, river and mountain valleys; [1400–]2700–4000 m.