Micromeles rhamnoides Decne.

One of us (Spongberg) believes that Sorbus salwinensis is synonymous with this species, and that S. paniculata is a distinct species.

Trees to 12 m tall. Branchlets grayish brown to dark gray, terete, initially white tomentose, glabrescent, with ellipsoid or oblong lenticels; buds narrowly ovoid or ovoid, 5–8 mm, apex acute; scales reddish brown or dark brown, glabrous. Leaves simple; petiole 1–2 cm, glabrous; leaf blade ovate-elliptic or oblong-elliptic, rarely oblong-obovate, 10–17 × (3–)5–8 cm, lateral veins (9–)12–17 pairs, nearly parallel and terminating in marginal teeth, raised abaxially and impressed adaxially, white tomentose when young, both surfaces glabrous or abaxially sparsely tomentose along veins when old, base broadly cuneate to rounded, margin serrate, apex acuminate. Inflorescences compound corymbose, 4–7 × 5–8 cm, many flowered; rachis and pedicels white tomentose when young, glabrous or subglabrous in fruit, with conspicuously elliptic lenticels. Pedicel 2–4 mm. Flowers 7–9 mm in diam. Hypanthium initially tomentose, glabrescent. Sepals triangular, apex acute or ± obtuse. Petals white, broadly oblong, 2.5–3.5 mm, glabrous, base clawed. Stamens 20, slightly shorter than or ca. as long as petals. Styles 2 or 3, glabrous, connate basally or free. Fruit globose or ovoid-globose, 6–9 mm in diam., without or with few small lenticels, 2- or 3-loculed, apex with an annular scar. Fl. May–Jun, fr. Jul–Sep.

E. Himalaya (E. Nepal, Sikkim), Burma.

NE Guizhou, S and W Yunnan [NE India, Nepal, Sikkim].

2700-3500 m

Moist broad-leaved and mixed coniferous forests, deep valleys; 1400--1700 m.

Micromeles rhamnoides Decaisne, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. 10: 169. 1874; Aria rhamnoides (Decaisne) H. Ohashi & H. Iketani; Pyrus rhamnoides (Decaisne) J. D. Hooker; Sorbus paniculata T. T. Yü & H. T. Tsai.