7,617
edits
Changes
no edit summary
{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Sorbus''
| image = Sorbus aucuparia aka rowan.jpg
| image_width = 240px
| image_caption = European Rowan (''Sorbus acuparia'') with fruit
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Rosales]]
| familia = [[Rosaceae]]
| subfamilia = [[Maloideae]]
| genus = '''''Sorbus'''''
| genus_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
| subdivision_ranks = Subgenera
| subdivision =
[[Rowan|''Sorbus'']]<br/>
[[Whitebeam|''Aria'']]<br/>
[[Whitebeam|''Micromeles'']]<br/>
[[Service Tree|''Cormus'']]<br/>
[[Wild Service Tree|''Torminaria'']]<br/>
[[False Medlar|''Chamaemespilus'']]
}}
The genus '''''Sorbus''''' is a [[genus]] of about 100-200 species of [[tree]]s and [[shrub]]s in the [[subfamily]] [[Maloideae]] of the Rose [[family (biology)|family]] [[Rosaceae]]. The exact number of species is disputed considerably between different authorities, due to the number of [[apomixis|apomictic]] microspecies, treated by some as distinct species, by others grouped in a much smaller number of variable species, and also depending on the circumscription of the genus. Recent treatments (Robertson ''et al.'' 1991, McAllister 2005) treat ''Sorbus'' in a narrower sense to include only the pinnate-leaved species of subgenus ''Sorbus'', raising several of the other subgenera to generic rank. Species of ''Sorbus'' (s.l.) are commonly known as Whitebeams, Rowans, Service Trees, and [[Sorbus aucuparia|Mountain Ash]].
As treated in its broad sense, the genus is divided into two main and three or four small subgenera (with more recent generic assignments in parentheses):
*'''''Sorbus'' subgenus ''Sorbus''''' (genus ''Sorbus'' s.s.), commonly known as the '''[[rowan]]s''' (primarily in the UK) or '''mountain ashes''' ( in both North America and the UK), with compound leaves usually hairless or thinly hairy below; fruit carpels not fused; type species ''Sorbus aucuparia'' (European Rowan). Distribution: cool-temperate [[Northern Hemisphere]]. (Genus ''Sorbus'' s.s.)
*'''''Sorbus'' subgenus ''Aria''''' (genus ''Aria''), the '''[[whitebeam]]s''', with simple leaves usually strongly white-hairy below (hence the name, from German ''Weissbaum'', 'white tree'); fruit carpels not fused; type species ''Sorbus aria'' (Common Whitebeam). Distribution: temperate [[Europe]] & [[Asia]].
:*'''''Sorbus'' subgenus ''Micromeles''''' (genus ''Aria''), an indistinct group of a few east Asian species (e.g. ''Sorbus alnifolia'', Korean Whitebeam) with narrow leaves; doubtfully distinct from and often included in subgenus ''Aria''. Distribution: temperate northeast [[Asia]].
*'''''Sorbus'' subgenus ''Cormus''''' (genus ''Cormus''), with compound leaves similar to subgenus ''Sorbus'', but with distinct fused carpels in the fruit; just one species, ''Sorbus domestica'' ([[Service Tree]]). Distribution: [[North Africa]], warm-temperate [[Europe]], [[West Asia]].
*'''''Sorbus'' subgenus ''Torminaria''''' (genus ''Torminaria''), with rather maple-like lobed leaves with ''pointed'' lobes; fruit carpels not fused; just one species, ''Sorbus torminalis'' ([[Wild Service Tree]]). Distribution: temperate [[Europe]].
*'''''Sorbus'' subgenus ''Chamaemespilus''''' (genus ''Chamaemespilus''), a single shrubby species ''Sorbus chamaemespilus'' ([[False Medlar]]) with simple, glabrous leaves and pink flowers with erect sepals and petals. Distribution: mountains of southern [[Europe]].
*'''Hybrids''' are common in the genus, including many between the subgenera; very often these hybrids are [[Apomixis|apomictic]] (self-fertile without pollination), so able to reproduce clonally from seed without any variation. This has led to a very large number of [[Apomixis|microspecies]], particularly in western Europe (including Britain) and parts of China.
''Sorbus'' species are used as food plants by the [[larva]]e of some [[Lepidoptera]] species - see [[list of Lepidoptera which feed on Sorbus]].
==References==
* McAllister, H. 2005. The Genus ''Sorbus'': Mountain Ash and Other Rowans. Richmond, Surrey, UK: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
* Robertson, K. R., J. B. Phipps, J. R. Rohrer, and P. G. Smith. 1991. A Synopsis of Genera in Maloideae (Rosaceae). ''Systematic Botany'' 16: 376-394.
{{Commons|Sorbus}}
[[Category:Maloideae]]
==Further reading==
* Price, D.T. 2007. One-way introgresive hybridisation between ''Sorbus aria'' and ''S. torminalis'' (Rosaceae) in southern Britain. ''Watsonia.'' '''26''': 419 - 431.
==Wine==
Sorbus is also a Finnish fruit wine, fairly strong, very cheap, and good tasting.
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Sorbus''
| image = Sorbus aucuparia aka rowan.jpg
| image_width = 240px
| image_caption = European Rowan (''Sorbus acuparia'') with fruit
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Rosales]]
| familia = [[Rosaceae]]
| subfamilia = [[Maloideae]]
| genus = '''''Sorbus'''''
| genus_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
| subdivision_ranks = Subgenera
| subdivision =
[[Rowan|''Sorbus'']]<br/>
[[Whitebeam|''Aria'']]<br/>
[[Whitebeam|''Micromeles'']]<br/>
[[Service Tree|''Cormus'']]<br/>
[[Wild Service Tree|''Torminaria'']]<br/>
[[False Medlar|''Chamaemespilus'']]
}}
The genus '''''Sorbus''''' is a [[genus]] of about 100-200 species of [[tree]]s and [[shrub]]s in the [[subfamily]] [[Maloideae]] of the Rose [[family (biology)|family]] [[Rosaceae]]. The exact number of species is disputed considerably between different authorities, due to the number of [[apomixis|apomictic]] microspecies, treated by some as distinct species, by others grouped in a much smaller number of variable species, and also depending on the circumscription of the genus. Recent treatments (Robertson ''et al.'' 1991, McAllister 2005) treat ''Sorbus'' in a narrower sense to include only the pinnate-leaved species of subgenus ''Sorbus'', raising several of the other subgenera to generic rank. Species of ''Sorbus'' (s.l.) are commonly known as Whitebeams, Rowans, Service Trees, and [[Sorbus aucuparia|Mountain Ash]].
As treated in its broad sense, the genus is divided into two main and three or four small subgenera (with more recent generic assignments in parentheses):
*'''''Sorbus'' subgenus ''Sorbus''''' (genus ''Sorbus'' s.s.), commonly known as the '''[[rowan]]s''' (primarily in the UK) or '''mountain ashes''' ( in both North America and the UK), with compound leaves usually hairless or thinly hairy below; fruit carpels not fused; type species ''Sorbus aucuparia'' (European Rowan). Distribution: cool-temperate [[Northern Hemisphere]]. (Genus ''Sorbus'' s.s.)
*'''''Sorbus'' subgenus ''Aria''''' (genus ''Aria''), the '''[[whitebeam]]s''', with simple leaves usually strongly white-hairy below (hence the name, from German ''Weissbaum'', 'white tree'); fruit carpels not fused; type species ''Sorbus aria'' (Common Whitebeam). Distribution: temperate [[Europe]] & [[Asia]].
:*'''''Sorbus'' subgenus ''Micromeles''''' (genus ''Aria''), an indistinct group of a few east Asian species (e.g. ''Sorbus alnifolia'', Korean Whitebeam) with narrow leaves; doubtfully distinct from and often included in subgenus ''Aria''. Distribution: temperate northeast [[Asia]].
*'''''Sorbus'' subgenus ''Cormus''''' (genus ''Cormus''), with compound leaves similar to subgenus ''Sorbus'', but with distinct fused carpels in the fruit; just one species, ''Sorbus domestica'' ([[Service Tree]]). Distribution: [[North Africa]], warm-temperate [[Europe]], [[West Asia]].
*'''''Sorbus'' subgenus ''Torminaria''''' (genus ''Torminaria''), with rather maple-like lobed leaves with ''pointed'' lobes; fruit carpels not fused; just one species, ''Sorbus torminalis'' ([[Wild Service Tree]]). Distribution: temperate [[Europe]].
*'''''Sorbus'' subgenus ''Chamaemespilus''''' (genus ''Chamaemespilus''), a single shrubby species ''Sorbus chamaemespilus'' ([[False Medlar]]) with simple, glabrous leaves and pink flowers with erect sepals and petals. Distribution: mountains of southern [[Europe]].
*'''Hybrids''' are common in the genus, including many between the subgenera; very often these hybrids are [[Apomixis|apomictic]] (self-fertile without pollination), so able to reproduce clonally from seed without any variation. This has led to a very large number of [[Apomixis|microspecies]], particularly in western Europe (including Britain) and parts of China.
''Sorbus'' species are used as food plants by the [[larva]]e of some [[Lepidoptera]] species - see [[list of Lepidoptera which feed on Sorbus]].
==References==
* McAllister, H. 2005. The Genus ''Sorbus'': Mountain Ash and Other Rowans. Richmond, Surrey, UK: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
* Robertson, K. R., J. B. Phipps, J. R. Rohrer, and P. G. Smith. 1991. A Synopsis of Genera in Maloideae (Rosaceae). ''Systematic Botany'' 16: 376-394.
{{Commons|Sorbus}}
[[Category:Maloideae]]
==Further reading==
* Price, D.T. 2007. One-way introgresive hybridisation between ''Sorbus aria'' and ''S. torminalis'' (Rosaceae) in southern Britain. ''Watsonia.'' '''26''': 419 - 431.
==Wine==
Sorbus is also a Finnish fruit wine, fairly strong, very cheap, and good tasting.