Sorbus rupicola

Updated on Dec 22, 2023

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Kingdom Plantae Family Rosaceae Genus Sorbus Higher classification Mountain-ash		Order Rosales Subfamily Maloideae Scientific name Sorbus rupicola Rank Species

Similar Mountain‑ash, Sorbus × hybrida, Rosaceae, Sorbus arranensis, Sorbus pseudofennica

Sorbus rupicola, known as rock whitebeam, is a rare shrub or small tree best known from the British Isles but also reported from Norway, Sweden and Russia.

Sorbus rupicola Jrvselja ppe ja Katsemetskond Sorbus rupicola tuhkpihlakas

It can reach heights of 10 m. It grows in rocky woodland, scrub and cliffs, usually on limestone.

The species reproduces apomictically and was presumably created by autopolyploidysation of the common whitebeam proper (Sorbus aria s.str.). It contains a tetraploidal set of chromosomes (2n=4x=68).

Sorbus rupicola Flickriver peraasen39s photos tagged with sorbus

Sorbus rupicola is a member of Sorbus aria agg., which contains 20 subspecies. A key to this aggregate is given in Stace - though be warned Stace states "It is probably impossible to construct a reliable key to the agg."! Stace gives Sorbus rupicola the following characteristics:

Sorbus rupicola Sorbus rupicola Biopix photoimage 14299

Leaves unlobed or lobed ≤1/20 of the way to the midrib.

Leaves with a single style of teeth or, weakly, two styles of teeth.

Leaves with 6 to 9 (rarely 4 to 10) pairs of lateral veins.

Leaves mostly 1.6 to 2.4 times longer than wide.

Leaves mostly widest in that half of the leaf furthest from the stalk.

Leaves usually obtuse (rarely acute) at apex.

Leaves have dense white hairs on lower surface.

Fruits 10-15mm across, warty.

Sorbus rupicola httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediacommonsthu

Sorbus rupicola Einars fotoherbarium Sorbus rupicola

Sorbus rupicola Rock Whitebeam AKA Cliff Whitebeam Sorbus Rupicola A Tree Native

References

Sorbus rupicola Wikipedia

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