''Sorbus pseudomeinichii'', known as false rowan and Catacol whitebeam, is a rare tree

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...

to the Isle of Arran in south west

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...

. 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.Johnston, Ian (15 June 2007) ''Trees on Arran 'are a whole new species'.'' Edinburgh. The Scotsman newspaper
Retrieved 18 June 2007. 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 Deer or true deer are hoofed ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. The two main groups of deer are the Cervinae, including the muntjac, the elk (wapiti), the red deer, and the fallow deer; and the Capreolinae, including the re ...

. 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. 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'. The discovery followed work in the 1990s by

Scottish Natural Heritage NatureScot ( gd, NàdarAlba), which was formerly known as Scottish Natural Heritage, is an executive non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government responsible for the country's natural heritage, especially its natural, genetic and s ...

(SNH), Dougarie Estate and

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) is a scientific centre for the study of plants, their diversity and conservation, as well as a popular tourist attraction. Founded in 1670 as a physic garden to grow medicinal plants, today it occupies ...

. 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."

Dr. Ashley Robertson of Bristol University, who helped discover the species, said: "It is not an evolutionary dead end. It is evolution in action". 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.Revealed, the New Species of Tree With Scottish Roots
Retrieved 18 June 2007.

References

External links

New species of tree discovered
bbc.co.uk Thursday, 14 June 2007 (Accessed June 18, 2007) {{Taxonbar, from=Q7563344 pseudomeinichii Endemic flora of Scotland Isle of Arran Plants described in 2006 Endemic biota of the Scottish islands