''Malus trilobata'', the Lebanese wild apple, erect crab apple or three-lobed apple tree, is a species in the family

Rosaceae Rosaceae (), the rose family, is a medium-sized family of flowering plants that includes 4,828 known species in 91 genera. The name is derived from the type genus ''Rosa''. Among the most species-rich genera are ''Alchemilla'' (270), ''Sorbus ...

in the genus ''

Malus ''Malus'' ( or ) is a genus of about 30–55 species of small deciduous trees or shrubs in the family Rosaceae, including the domesticated orchard apple, crab apples, wild apples, and rainberries. The genus is native to the temperate zone of th ...

''. Some authorities place it in the segregate genus ''

Eriolobus ''Eriolobus'' is a genus of plants in the family Rosaceae Rosaceae (), the rose family, is a medium-sized family of flowering plants that includes 4,828 known species in 91 genera. The name is derived from the type genus ''Rosa''. Among ...

'', as ''E. trilobatus''.

Description

''M. trilobata'' has an upright habit with horizontal branching and a mature size of height by width. The

leaves A leaf (plural, : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant plant stem, stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", wh ...

are maple-like and deeply three-lobed. They turn from orange to red to deep purple in the fall. The tree blooms during April and May producing white flowers and yellow fruits.

Distribution

The species' distribution in Asia includes West and South

Anatolia Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The re ...

Syria Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...

Lebanon Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus li ...

and North

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

, while in Europe its distribution encompasses the east section of Greek Thrace (

Evros Prefecture Evros ( el, Περιφερειακή ενότητα Έβρου) is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the modern regions of Greece, region of East Macedonia and Thrace. Its name is derived from the river Maritsa, Evros, which appear ...

) and southeastern

Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedon ...

. Surviving trees in Lebanon can be found in the Mount Lebanon Range, at altitudes of . The last remaining protected forest community of the endemic wild apple in the country is in the

Horsh Ehden Horsh Ehden is a Nature Reserve located in North Governorate, North Lebanon. It contains a diverse forest of the cedar of Lebanon, making it a part of the country's cultural and natural heritage. Located on the northwestern slopes of Mount Leb ...

nature reserve and the

Jabal Moussa Biosphere Reserve Jabal Moussa Biosphere Reserve is a nature reserve located in the Keserwan District of Lebanon, on the shoulders of the western slopes of Mount Lebanon overlooking the Mediterranean Sea to the West. It covers an area of 6500 hectares, at an altitu ...

Description

Distribution

References

Further reading