Arborescent shrub or usually a small tree to 10 m; twigs glabrous, usually with thorns 4-6 cm; lvs thick and firm, with impressed veins above, dull, glabrous or short- hairy on one or both surfaces, the floral ones mostly obovate, 2.5-6 נ1.5-4.5 cm, lobeless or only obscurely and shallowly lobed, the vegetative ones mostly larger, sometimes more rhombic or suborbicular, and often ±lobed; fls 1-2 cm wide, in villous or glabrous compound cymes; sep lanceolate or lance-linear, entire or glandular-serrate; fr 0.8-1.5 cm thick, dull or sometimes bright red to yellow; nutlets 3-5; 2n=34. Nf., Que., and N. Engl. to S.C. and Ga., w. to Minn., Io., and Okla. (C. collina; C. peoriensis; C. recedens; C. suborbiculata; C. verruculosa)
Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.