Taxonomic study of Malus section Florentinae (Rosaceae)

Abstract

Malosorbus Browicz, an intergeneric hybrid between the genera Malus Mill. and Sorbus L. proposed by Browicz, is suggested to be a section of the genus Malus Miller in the present study based on a comparison of the morphology and experimental data of the taxon and its closely related taxa. Section Florentinae was invalidly published by Cheng et al. and is now validated by the addition of a Latin description, type species, and basionym citation. The new section differs from Malus section Sorbomalus (Zabel) C.K.Schneid. mainly by its partly free top of fruits and five styles with villous at the base, and from Malus section Eriolobus (Seringe) C. K. Schneid. by its five styles with villous at the base and deciduous sepals. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London.