IDENTIFICATION KEY BASED ON MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERS OF THE NEW RECORDS AND REPORTS OF COTONEASTER MEDIK. SPECIES PLUS THEIR CLOSEST RELATIVES

1. Leaves often more than 15 mm ................................................................................................................... 2

— Leaves often less than 15 mm ...................................................................................................................... 9

2. Lower leaf surface glabrous .......................................................................................................................... 3

– Lower leaf surface tomentose ....................................................................................................................... 4

3. Leaves base broadly cuneate, apex obtuse to rounded upper surface light green, fruit light red ....................... .......................................................................................................................... Cotoneaster multiflorus Bunge

– Leaves base narrowly cuneate, apex obtuse to rounded upper surface dark green, fruit purple-black ............... ................................................................................................................................ Cotoneaster meyeri Pojark.

4. Leaves long elliptic, long ovate or obovate (length of leaves more than 1.5 × width of leaves) ...................... 5

– Leaves broadly elliptic to suborbicular (length of leaves less than 1.5 × width of leaves) ............................... 6

5. Leaves elliptic-rhombic, apex obtuse, fruit black ...................................................... Cotoneaster suavis Pojark.

– Leaves obovate, apex rounded to truncate, fruit rich red ......................... Cotoneaster aitchisonii C.K.Schneid.

6. Fruit red, petioles often ≤ 5 mm .................................................................................................................. 7

– Fruit dark purple to black, petioles often ≥ 6 mm ........................................................................................ 8

7. Leaves obovate to elliptic, sepals erect, tomentose ....................................... Cotoneaster transcaucasicus Pojark.

– Leaves obovate to ovate, sepals flat, subglabrous ........................ Cotoneaster nummularius Fisch. & C.A.Mey.

8. Leaves elliptic-rhombic, base cuneate, lax inflorescence, fruit obovate to globose ... Cotoneaster insignis Pojark.

– Leaves elliptic-orbicular, base rounded to obtuse, compact inflorescence fruit globose .................................... ............................................................................................................. Cotoneaster ellipticus (Lindl.) Loudon

9. Leaves mostly long ovate or long elliptic .................................................................................................... 10

– Leaves mostly wide elliptic to orbicular ..................................................................................................... 11

10. Leaves base obtuse to rounded, apex acute to obtuse ............................................ Cotoneaster persicus Pojark.

– Leaves base cuneate to broadly cuneate, apex rounded .................................... Cotoneaster afghanicus G.Klotz

11. Leaves broadly elliptic, fruit black, pedicels up to 4 mm ..................................... Cotoneaster kotschyi G.Klotz

– Leaves orbicular, fruit light red, pedicels up to 2 mm (sometime without pedicles) ........................................ ........................................................................................................................... Cotoneaster minutus G.Klotz