Aria leighensis explained

Aria leighensis, commonly known as Leigh Woods whitebeam, is a rare species of whitebeam, a flowering plant in the|rose family Rosaceae.

Description

Aria leighensis is a small tree or shrub reaching a height of 10 m. Like other species of whitebeams, the upper surface of the leaf is a light green, while the underside is white or greyish white. Leaves are obovate, and range from 7-10.5 cm long and 5–7 cm wide.^[1]

It is named after Leigh Woods in the Avon Gorge, where it is known.^{[2] [3]} DNA analysis in the 2000s classified it as a triploid apomict from A. edulis × A. porrigentiformis.^{[4] [5]}

Notes and References

1. Rich, T.C.G., Houston, L., Robertson, A. and Proctor, M.C.F., 2010. Whitebeams, Rowans and Service trees of Britain and Ireland: a monograph of British and Irish'Sorbus' L. London: Botanical Society of the British Isles.
2. Web site: 14 new trees discovered in the UK and Ireland . . 5 January 2019.
3. Rich . T. C. G. . Green . D. . Houston . L. . Lepší . M. . Ludwig . S. . Pellicer . J. . British Sorbus (Rosaceae): Six new species, two hybrids and a new subgenus . New Journal of Botany . 12 April 2014 . 4 . 1 . 2–12 . 10.1179/2042349714Y.0000000036. 84693650 .
4. Rich . T. C. G. . Harris . S. A. . Hiscock . S. J. . Five new Sorbus (Rosaceae) taxa from the Avon Gorge, England. . Watsonia . 2009.
5. Rich . T. C. G. . Proctor . M. C. F. . Some new British and Irish Sorbus L. taxa (Rosaceae) . Watsonia . 2009 . 10.1.1.667.5444 .