Maloideae

(also Pomoideae or Pyroideae), a subfamily of trees and shrubs of the family Rosaceae. The calyxes, petals, and stamens are concresced at the base into a fleshy floral tubule. The gynoecium usually consists of two to five carpels that are concresced with the floral tubule to form the ovary, which is transformed into a fleshy, juicy fruit—the pome. There are about 25 genera, distributed mainly in the northern hemisphere. The Maloideae include the genera Pyrus (pear), Malus (apple), Cydonia (quince), Sorbus (mountain ash), and Eriobotrya (loquat). Sometimes the Maloideae are designated as the independent family Malaceae.