Sorbus arranensis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sorbus arranensis |
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Sorbus
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| Species: |
arranensis
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Sorbus arranensis, also known as the Scottish or Arran whitebeam, is a special type of plant in the Rosaceae family, which includes roses and apples. This tree is found only on the Isle of Arran in Scotland. When a plant or animal is found only in one place, it's called endemic.
Where the Arran Whitebeam Lives
The Arran whitebeam is in danger because its natural home is shrinking. In 1980, only 283 mature Sorbus arranensis trees were counted. These trees are now protected in an area called Glen Diomhan, near Glen Catacol. This area used to be a special nature reserve.
Even though it's not a reserve anymore, the area is still a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). This means it's a very important place for nature. Experts from NatureScot keep a close eye on the trees there.
In the wild, these trees only grow in a few specific glens and valleys on Arran. These include places like Abhainn Bheag, Glen Diomhan, and Glen Iorsa. You can find them on steep slopes that are hard to reach. They prefer to grow in acidic soil.
People became very interested in collecting samples of Sorbus arranensis between 1870 and 1890, and again from 1920 to 1940. However, some older plant samples, called herbarium specimens, exist from even earlier times.
How the Arran Whitebeam Evolved
The Sorbus group of trees, which includes the Arran whitebeam, has a special way of making seeds. They are apomictic. This means they can produce seeds that grow into new plants without needing pollen from another plant. It's like the plant makes a perfect copy of itself each time.
These trees developed in a very interesting way. First, the common whitebeam (Sorbus aria) changed over time to become the stronger rock whitebeam (Sorbus rupicola). You can still find the rock whitebeam on Holy Isle today.
Then, this rock whitebeam mixed with the rowan, also known as mountain ash (Sorbus aucuparia). This mixing created the S. arranensis tree.
Even more, another tree called the bastard mountain ash (Sorbus pseudofennica) came from a further mix. It happened when S. arranensis mixed again with the mountain ash (S. aucuparia).
A scientist named Smart showed that these different Sorbus species are truly separate. He looked at their physical features to prove they weren't just random variations. However, sometimes these species can still mix a little, which means some hybrid plants might appear.
