The World of Apples

Wild apples

Malus spontanea (Makino) Makino

Description

Malus spontanea is a shrub, typically vase-shaped, or a small tree up to 4 m tall. Its leaves are elliptic to obovate, 3–5 cm long. The flowers are 3–3.5 cm across and white or nearly so, with spreading sepals that fall before the fruit ripens; the fruit is pear-shaped, reddish or orange and 6–8 mm across. It is closest to Malus halliana, which has pink flowers, ovate leaves and erect sepals1.

Range and habitat

It is a narrow endemic of the island of Kyushu in southern Japan. Most of its plants grow beside a stream within a single area of 500 m² on Mount Kirishima, an active volcano; by 1998 there were fewer than 300, and conservation measures are now in place1. The IUCN Red List assessed it in 2020 as Critically Endangered, known from one location, with a decreasing population, a declining habitat and threats from problem native species and diseases and from the volcano itself. All or nearly all of its population lies in protected areas2.

History

Makino first named it as a variety of Malus × floribunda and raised it to a species in 19143; in describing it, he suggested that it might have had a part in the origin of that garden crab1. Ernest Wilson visited its home in 1919 and introduced a living plant to the Arnold Arboretum, and plants descended from it grow in a few North American collections1.

Where the sources disagree

  • Species or variety. Plants of the World Online accepts it as a species3; it has sometimes been treated as a variety of Malus halliana1,3.
  • Ploidy. Seedlings from the Arnold Arboretum’s trees proved tetraploid, but diploid counts appear in the literature1.

Sources

  1. Malus spontanea, Julian Sutton and Nick Dunn, Trees and Shrubs Online (International Dendrology Society), 2021. Supports: the description (vase-shaped shrub or small tree to 4 m, leaves elliptic to obovate 3–5 cm, flowers 3–3.5 cm, white or almost so, sepals spreading and falling, fruit pear-shaped, 6–8 mm, reddish or orange); close to M. halliana and sometimes treated as its variety, differing in white flowers, obovate leaves and spreading sepals; a narrow endemic of Kyushu, most individuals beside a stream within a single 500 m² area on Mount Kirishima, an active volcano; fewer than 300 plants by 1998, with conservation measures now in place; "a national treasure"; Makino's 1914 suggestion of a part in the origin of M. × floribunda; Wilson's visit in 1919 and introduction to the Arnold Arboretum; seedlings at Ness found tetraploid, against diploid counts in the literature.
  2. Malus spontanea, The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2022: e.T64135198A64135222, L. Worcester, 2022. Supports: Critically Endangered under criteria B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii), assessed 9 November 2020; population decreasing; Japan (Kyushu), one location; forest habitat, with continuing decline in its quality; threats from problematic native species and diseases and from volcanoes; conservation sites identified over the whole range, with 91–100% of the population in protected areas.
  3. Malus spontanea (Makino) Makino, Plants of the World Online, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Supports: accepted name and authority, published in 1914; basionym Malus × floribunda var. spontanea Makino; native range Japan (Kyushu); Malus halliana var. spontanea among the synonyms.