''Sorbus anglica'', the English whitebeam, is a species of whitebeam tree in the family

Rosaceae Rosaceae (), the rose family, is a medium-sized family of flowering plants that includes 4,828 known species in 91 genera. The name is derived from the type genus ''Rosa''. Among the most species-rich genera are ''Alchemilla'' (270), ''Sorbus ...

. It is uncommonly found in Ireland and the United Kingdom, with an entire British population estimated at about 600David Jones, ''Welsh Wildlife'', 2003, "Trees", p. 39. individuals.

Description

''Sorbus anglica'' grows as a small tree or shrub, often with multiple stems. The leaves are broader than most other ''Sorbus'', with lobes whose bases are incised up to one third of the way to the midrib.

Distribution

''Sorbus anglica'' is found in several widely scattered sites in south-west England, Wales, and around Killarney in south-west Ireland.

Ecology and evolution

''Sorbus anglica'' is usually found growing on cliffs, quarries and rocky hillsides. It appears to be indifferent to

soil pH Soil pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity (alkalinity) of a soil. Soil pH is a key characteristic that can be used to make informative analysis both qualitative and quantitatively regarding soil characteristics. pH is defined as the neg ...

. Occasional specimens are known from oak woodland. Research suggests ''Sorbus anglica'' arose from a cross between ''

Sorbus porrigentiformis ''Sorbus porrigentiformis'', the grey-leafed whitebeam, is a species of whitebeam endemic to England and Wales. Description This is a shrub or small tree, growing to a height of about 5m. It has obovate leaves ; these are shiny green above, and ...

'' and ''

Sorbus aucuparia ''Sorbus aucuparia'', commonly called rowan (UK: /ˈrəʊən/, US: /ˈroʊən/) and mountain-ash, is a species of deciduous tree or shrub in the rose family. It is a highly variable species, and botanists have used different Circumscription (taxo ...

''.

References

{{Use dmy dates, date=May 2020 anglica Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Trees of the United Kingdom Trees of Ireland