Rosaceae

C. brachypetala Boiss., Diagn. ser. 1(6): 52 (1845).
var. bornmuelleri (Schneider) Browicz in Fl. Iranica - Rosaceae 1:189 (1969). Syn: Prunus brachypetala (Boiss.) Walp. var. bornmuelleri Schneider, I11. Handb. Laubh. 1:604, 602, t. (1906); P. bornmuelleri (Schneider) Hand.-Mazz. in Ann. Nat. Hofmus. Wien 27:69 (1913); Cerasus bornmuelleri (Schneider) Woronow in Bull. Appl. Bot. PL Breed. (Leningrad) 14(3): 51 (1924-1925); C. boissieri Hausskn. ex Pojark. in Bot. Zhurn. 24(3):233 (1939). Ic: Fl. Iraq 2: t. 31 (1966). Map 6, p. 15.
Prostrate shrub with densely branched, contorted, finely puberulent first and second year shoots. Stipules subulate, persistent. Leaves broadly elliptic to ± orbicular, 1-2 x as long as broad, on short shoots usually to c. 10 mm, on long shoots up to 20 mm, incised-serrate, rarely lobulate, villosulous-tomentose, more densely so beneath, sometimes pubescent above; petioles 1-2 mm. Flowers solitary, sessile or with pedicels to 2 mm; hypanthium cylindrical, to 6 mm long, puberulent to glabrous; petals pink to reddish, 5-6 mm; lower half of style and apex of ovary pubescent. Drupes red, ovoid-globose, up to 8 mm diam., distinctly pubescent at apex, even when ripe; stones slightly keeled, sulcate. Fl. 5-7. Rocky, usually calcareous, slopes, 1600-2700 m.
Type: [N. Iraq] Kurdistania, in m. Sakri-Sakran (ad fines Pers.), 2100 m, Bornmüller 1036 (JE! LE!).
S.E. Anatolia. B8 Bitlis: below summit of Kambos Da., 2300 m, McNeill 630 ! Muş: Hacres Da., Kurtik Da. above Muş, 1450-2750 m, Watson et al. 2819! B9 Bitlis: Qor Da., 17 km S.E. of Bitlis, 2550 m, Frödin 2239 ! Van: Gurundast, between Çatak and Van, 1850 m, Nâbelek 1833 ! C9 Siirt: 20 km S.E. of Pervari, 1900 m, Frödin 93 ! Hakkari: Cilo Da., Diz Deresi at Sua, 2000 m, D. 23960 ! C10 Hakkari: Oramar to Talana, 1850-2150 m, Trelawny 1507 !
N. Iraq. Ir.-Tur. element. Var. brachypetala, from N. Iraq & Iran, differs in its shorter hypanthium (seldom exceeding 4 mm in length) and in its irregularly serrate, often trilobed leaves. The species closely resembles C. prostrata and differs chiefly in the leaf and ovary indumentum; it is possibly only a subspecies of C. prostrata. A specimen from B9 Van (N. slopes of Artos Da., above Gevaş, 2700 m, McNeill 742), is intermediate between C. prostrata and C. brachypetala var. bornmuelleri.