View source for Whitebeam

{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = Whitebeam
| image = Sorbus aria.jpg
| image_width = 270px
| image_caption = Common Whitebeam flowers
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Rosales]]
| familia = [[Rosaceae]]
| subfamilia = [[Maloideae]]
| genus = ''[[Sorbus]]''
| subgenus = ''Aria''
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision = 
'''''Sorbus'' subgenus ''Aria'''''<br>
''[[Sorbus alnifolia]]'' - Korean Whitebeam<br>
''[[Sorbus aria]]'' - Common Whitebeam<br>
''[[Arran Whitebeam|Sorbus arranensis]]'' - Arran Whitebeam<br>
''[[Sorbus bristoliensis]]'' - Bristol Gorge Whitebeam<br>
''[[Sorbus devoniensis]]'' - Devon Whitebeam<br>
''[[Sorbus folgneri]]'' - Folgner's Whitebeam<br>
''[[Sorbus intermedia]]'' - Swedish Whitebeam<br>
''[[Sorbus latifolia]]'' - Service Tree of Fontainebleau<br>
''[[Sorbus mougeotii]]'' - Vosges Whitebeam<br>
''[[Sorbus rupicola]]'' - Rock Whitebeam<br>
''[[Sorbus thibetica]]'' - Tibetan Whitebeam<br>
''[[Sorbus vestita]]'' - Himalayan Whitebeam<br>
Plus many other species<br>
'''''Sorbus'' subgenus ''[[Rowan|Sorbus]]'''''<br>
'''''Sorbus'' [[Sorbus|Other subgenera]]'''</td></tr>
}}

The '''whitebeams''' are members of the [[Rosaceae]] family, in genus ''[[Sorbus]]'' subgenus ''Aria''. They are [[deciduous]] [[tree]]s with simple or lobed leaves, arranged alternately. They are related to the [[rowan]]s (''Sorbus'' subgenus ''Sorbus''), and many of the [[endemic (ecology)|endemic]] restricted-range [[Apomixis|apomictic microspecies]] of whitebeam in [[Europe]] are thought to derive from hybrids between ''S. aria'' and the European rowan [[Rowan|''S. aucuparia'']]; some are also thought to be hybrids with the Wild Service Tree ''[[Wild Service Tree|S. torminalis]]'', notably the Service Tree of Fontainebleau ''Sorbus latifolia'' in French woodlands.

The best known species is '''Common Whitebeam''' ''[[Sorbus aria]]'', but several other species from [[Europe]] and [[Asia]] in particular are widely cultivated as [[ornamental plant|ornamental tree]]s.

The berries are a favourite of [[bird]]s, though less palatable (drier, less juicy) than rowan berries. Whitebeams are sometimes used as [[larva]]l food plants by [[Lepidoptera]] species including [[Short-cloaked Moth]].

The [[wood]] is hard, and suited for woodturning, furniture and tool handles, a tough wood that was used to make cogs before the use of [[iron]]. It is a deep orange when wet, and pale yellow after drying.

It is worthy of note that in the months of May and June, the tree gives off a strong distinctive smell of semen.{{Fact|date=June 2007}}

[[Category:Accessory fruit]]
[[Category:Maloideae]]