Sorbus pseudomeinichii

Species of tree

Catacol whitebeam

Conservation status

Critically Endangered (IUCN 3.1)[1]

Scientific classification
Kingdom:  | Plantae
Clade:  | Tracheophytes
Clade:  | Angiosperms
Clade:  | Eudicots
Clade:  | Rosids
Order:  | Rosales
Family:  | Rosaceae
Genus:  | Sorbus
Species:  |

S. pseudomeinichii

Binomial name
Sorbus pseudomeinichii

Ashley Robertson

Sorbus pseudomeinichii, known as false rowan[2] and Catacol whitebeam, is a rare tree endemic to the Isle of Arran in south west Scotland. It is believed to have arisen as a hybrid of the native rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) and the cut-leaved whitebeam (Sorbus pseudofennica) which is in turn a rowan/Arran whitebeam (Sorbus arranensis) hybrid.[3] Until 2020 only two specimens of the Catacol whitebeam were known (only one thought to be alive), at the time making it the rarest tree not only in Scotland, but joint rarest in the world with Wood's cycad, both with only one specimen living. A third was recorded as a sapling, but is believed to have been destroyed by deer. A seedling and grafted plants have also been grown in Edinburgh.

The latest evaluation by IUCN failed to find one of the two trees found, so they state in the red list citation for the species that only one tree is left.[1] During September 2020 a second tree was discovered and confirmed by Dr Ashley Robertson as 'a new location for the taxa, rather than the rediscovery of one of the two previously known plants that had been lost'.[4]

The discovery followed work in the 1990s by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), Dougarie Estate and Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. The trees were confirmed as a distinct species by DNA testing.

Graeme Walker of SNH has said:

> "These are unique trees which are native to Arran and not found anywhere else in the world, we knew about the Arran whitebeam and the cut-leaved Arran whitebeam, which are also crosses between rowan and different species of whitebeam, but it has been really exciting to discover a completely new species. It is very complex picture but we think that the Arran whitebeams are gradually evolving towards a new type of tree which will probably look very similar to a rowan."[5]

Dr. Ashley Robertson of Bristol University, who helped discover the species, said: "It is not an evolutionary dead end. It is evolution in action".[3]

The new species is the third endemic whitebeam found on Arran (after the Arran whitebeam and the cut-leaved whitebeam) and combines the red berries of a rowan with the oval leaves of a whitebeam. The trees are currently within a deer fence which will be extended - delivery of materials by helicopter will be necessary due to the remoteness of the location. The species is named after Glen Catacol where it was found and the largest of the only known remaining trees may be over 50 years old.[6]

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b "Catacol Whitebeam". IUCN Red List.
2. ^ BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
3. ^ a b Johnston, Ian (15 June 2007) Trees on Arran 'are a whole new species'. Edinburgh. The Scotsman newspaper Retrieved 18 June 2007.
4. ^ "Evolution and discovery on the Isle of Arran - Global Trees". 27 October 2020.
5. ^ "New species of tree discovered on Arran". 14 June 2007. Retrieved 17 June 2007.
6. ^ Revealed, the New Species of Tree With Scottish Roots Retrieved 18 June 2007.

## External links[edit]

* New species of tree discovered bbc.co.uk Thursday, 14 June 2007 (Accessed June 18, 2007)

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Endemic biota of Scotland

* Fauna of Scotland
* Flora of Scotland

Vertebrates|

| Mammals|

* Orkney vole
* Sorex araneus grantii
* St. Kilda field mouse
* St. Kilda house mouse (extinct)

|

Birds|

* Fair Isle wren
* Scottish crossbill
* Shetland wren
* St. Kilda wren

Fish|

* Haddy charr
* Orkney charr
* Powan

Flora|

| Flowers & ferns|

* Newman's lady-fern
* Scottish primrose
* Shetland mouse-ear
* St. Kilda dandelion

|

Arran whitebeams|

* Arran service tree
* Arran whitebeam
* Catacol whitebeam

Mosses|

* Dixon's thread-moss
* Perthshire beard-moss
* Scottish beard-moss
* Scottish thread-moss

Liverworts|

* Northern prongwort

Mycota|

| Lichens|

* White script lichen

|

Fungi|

See also|

* European wildcat
* Flame shell
* Hippasteria phrygiana
* Jamesiella scotica
* Lopheliella rockallensis
* Syringammina fragilissima
* Vendace

Taxon identifiers|

* Wikidata: Q7563344
* CoL: 4YBL2
* EoL: 10600233
* GBIF: 3854138
* iNaturalist: 450203
* IPNI: 77077524-1
* IUCN: 79749367
* NBN: NHMSYS0020110587
* NCBI: 1844645
* Open Tree of Life: 5922260
* Plant List: rjp-62017
* POWO: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77077524-1
* WFO: wfo-0001015188

|

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