A new apple species, Malus roseotakanabensis Iketani & Minamit., is described. It
was discovered in cultivation in private gardens in Takanabe-chō, Miyazaki Prefecture,
Kyushu, Japan. It is said to have been transplanted from wild habitat, where it is now extinct.
Morphological comparisons, especially with related species in East Asia, revealed that it differs
from any other known species by having a short (2–3.5 cm), elliptic-ovate to rhomboid leaf
blade, a truncate to obtuse leaf blade apex, shallowly crenato-serrate margins, very short (≤ 2
mm), shortly triangular-ovate sepals, pale pink petals, and three styles per flower. Microsatellite
analysis revealed the existence of several genotypes, suggesting that this species propagates
sexually.
Research papers (academic journals)
