Sorbus torminalis

 

Sorbus torminalis

 

Pitlicen
 
 
Tree to 25 m, with a pyramidal or wide crown and spreading branches; bark dark grey. Buds 2-5 mm, greenish, glabrous. Leaves 5-13 cm, broadly ovate, slightly cordate to broadly-cuneate at base, lobes ± acuminate, deep bright green on both surfaces, thinly pubescent beneath when young, glabrous or sparsely pubescent at maturity; veins 4-6-paired. Petiole 15-50 mm. Inflorescence 10-15 cm diam., 20-60-flowered. Flowers 12-15 mm diam.; sepals deltoid, pubescent with glandular margins. Fruit 12-18 mm, subglobose or pyriform; seeds 7 mm, ovalelongate, dark red.
The shape of the leaves and their indumentum are very variable and numerous forms based on these characters have been described. Three varieties may be recognized in Turkey:
1. Leaves with 3-5 pairs of triangular-ovate lobes, the lower sinus shallow, at most reaching nearly halfway to the midrib
2. Leaves ± deeply lobed, glabrous beneath at maturity; fruit up to 20 x 14mm var. torminalis
2. Leaves shallowly lobed, sparsely pubescent to subglabrous beneath at maturity; fruit up to 12 x 7,5 mm var.orientalis
1. Leaves with 3-7 pairs of longer, more acute lobes, sinuses reaching over halfway towards the midrib var. pinnatifida