Chaenomeles japonica (Thunb.) Lindl. ex Spach - Rosaceae - 日本木瓜 ri ben mu gua (chin.), Japanese quince, dwarf quince, flowering quince, **Japanische Quitte **

Thorny deciduous shrub, up to 1m tall, native to Japan, cultivated elsewhere as ornamental; branchlets scabrous, verruculose when old; leaves obovate to spatulate, 3-5cm long, glabrous, margin crenate; flowers 3-5 fascicled, 2.5-4cm in diam., petals dark red, stamens 40-60, half as long as petals, styles as long as stamens; fruit pome yellow, subglobose, smaller than C.speciosa, 3-4cm in diam. \\
[[http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200010696]]

The fragrant fruits are long-lasting and can be laid well between laundry. They contain sugar and ascorbic acid, become softened by boiling and may be juiced. [[https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanische_Zierquitte]]

The juice of C.japonica fruits showed a rich aroma profile. Major components were methanol, ethanol, 1-penten-3-ol, α-terpineol, acetone, ethyl-vinyl-ketone, valeraldehyde, (E)-2-hexenal, ethyl acetate, linalyl acetate, geranyl acetate and ethyl anthranilate. Minor components were terpinen-4-ol, nonanal, neral and geranial, carvone, and ß-ionone e.g. \\
[Jordan, M. J., et al. „Volatile compounds associated with the fragrance and flavour of Chaenomeles juice.“ 2003] 

{{chaenomeles_japonica.jpg?600}} \\
d’ Orbigny, C.V.D., Dictionnaire universel d’histoire naturelle, plates vol.3 t.29 [Dicotylédones 33] (1841-1849) [Maubert] \\
[[http://plantillustrations.org/species.php?id_species=228333]]


{{http://www.botanische-spaziergaenge.at/Bilder/Lumix_3/P1160250.JPG}} \\
Chaenomeles japonica fruit \\ © Rolf Marschner (2009),  
[[http://botanische-spaziergaenge.at/viewtopic.php?f=411&t=1241| www.botanische-spaziergaenge.at]]