Aria admonitor

Aria admonitor
In Watersmeet, Lynton
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Rosales
Family: Rosaceae
Genus: Aria
Species:
A. admonitor
Binomial name
Aria admonitor
(M.Proctor) Mosyakin, Fedor. & McNeill
     It is endemic to Great Britain (North Devon)
Synonyms
  • Pyrus admonitor (M.Proctor) M.F.Fay & Christenh.
  • Sorbus admonitor M.Proctor
  • Karpatiosorbus admonitor (M.Proctor) Sennikov & Kurtto

Aria admonitor, the Watersmeet whitebeam, is an apomictic species of tree in the family Rosaceae endemic to Devon, United Kingdom. It is known only from the Watersmeet Valley at Lynton, with two stray plants growing on the coast above Sillery Sands, Countisbury.

Description

Aria admonitor growing in Watersmeet, Devon, United Kingdom

Aria admonitor is an up to 16 m tall tree with ovate to obovate, glossy, deeply lobed leaves.

Cytology

A chromosome count showed that the species is tetraploid.

Taxonomy

Although first recognised as a distinct variety in the 1930s (by the botanist E. F. Warburg) because of its strongly lobed leaves, it was only accorded species status in 2009, after various biochemical analyses. It is believed at least 110 individuals of the species exist and represent a stable population. The leaves of the Watersmeet whitebeam have more accentuated lobes than the Devon whitebeam, of which it was thought before to be a variety.

The research project that named the tree as a species was led by Dr. Tim Rich, head of vascular plants at the National Museum Wales, as well as academics from Bristol University, Exeter University, Oxford University and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The announcement of the species, and of thirteen other Sorbus species, was made in two papers in the BSBI's journal Watsonia.

Dr Rich stated that the trees, along with other new whitebeam species, had "probably developed recently", and also considered them as "examples of on-going evolution of new species".

The holotype is a large tree above scree at Watersmeet in Vice-county 4, North Devon, Grid Ref SS744490; the material studied was collected on 10 October 2007. It is a member of the Aria latifolia group.[citation needed]

It is similar to Aria devoniensis, but differing in having leaves more deeply lobed, 10–23% of the way to the midrib at the centre of the lamina – not 6–18% as in Aria devoniensis; the leaves of Aria admonitor are also glossier than those of Aria devoniensis.[citation needed]

Etymology

The first tree to be found (not the type specimen) beside a lay-by near Watersmeet in North Devon, had a "no parking" sign nailed to the tree. The specific name, admonitor, is a Latin word referring to something that admonishes, a reference to the "no parking" sign.

Distribution and habitat

It is endemic to the Watersmeet area, where there are at least 108 trees in the East Lyn Valley and two trees nearby above Sillery Sands, Lynmouth. Aria devoniensis does not grow in this area. The two species have not been confirmed as growing together.[citation needed]

Conservation

As a result of its small range, which is largely confined to North Devon, it has an IUCN conservation assessment of Endangered. However, its population trend is stable, and ex-situ conservation measures are in place. In addition, the majority of Aria admonitor's range exists in protected areas.[citation needed]

References

  1. 1 2 Rich, T.C.G., Houston, L., Green, D., Anderson, R., Hinchliffe, W., McGinn, K., Prendergast, A., Beech, E. & Rivers, M.C. 2026. Sorbus admonitor. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2026: e.T79740183A289780485. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2026-1.RLTS.T79740183A289780485.en. Accessed on 11 September 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Aria admonitor (M.Proctor) Mosyakin, Fedor. & McNeill. (n.d.). Plants of the World Online. Retrieved September 11, 2026, from https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77371349-1
  3. 1 2 P. A. Stroh; T. A. Humphrey; R. J. Burkmar; O. L. Pescott; D. B. Roy; K. J. Walker, eds. (2020). "Watersmeet Whitebeam Sorbus admonitor M.Proctor". BSBI Online Plant Atlas 2020. Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 T. C. G. Rich & M. C. F. Proctor (2009). "Some new British and Irish Sorbus L. taxa (Rosaceae)" (PDF). Watsonia. 27: 207–216. Archived from the original on 24 July 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  5. ↑ Bailey, J.P.; Kay, Q.O.N.; Mcallister, H.; Rich, T.C.G. (2008). "Chromosome numbers in Sorbus L. (Rosaceae) in the British Isles". Watsonia. 27: 69–72. Archived from the original on 24 July 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  6. ↑ TCG Rich & DCG Cann (September 2007), A survey of Sorbus species at Watersmeet, North Devon (PDF)
  7. ↑ Rich, T. C. G.; Cann, D. C. G. (2008). "A survey of Sorbus species at Watersmeet, North Devon, September 2007". Transactions of the Devonshire Association. 140: 185–198.
  8. ↑ "A species of tree so new it's named after No Parking sign". The Herald (Plymouth). 5 March 2009.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  9. 1 2 Palmer, Tom (6 March 2009). "No Parking: a tree by any other name". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 10 March 2009. Retrieved 23 May 2010.
  10. ↑ T. C. G. Rich, S. A. Harris & S. J. Hiscock (2009). "Five new Sorbus (Rosaceae) taxa from the Avon Gorge, England". Watsonia. 27: 217–228. Archived from the original on 24 July 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  11. ↑ "14 new trees discovered in the UK and Ireland". National Museum Wales. 6 March 2009. Archived from the original on 7 March 2009. Retrieved 6 March 2009.
  12. ↑ "Tree revealed as something completely different..." Yorkshire Post. 6 March 2009.
  13. 1 2 Gray, Louise (5 March 2009). "Scientists discover the 'No Parking' tree". Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 27 March 2019.

51°13′33″N 3°47′59″W / 51.22583°N 3.79972°W / 51.22583; -3.79972