New trees for old

It's relatively common to read about new species being discovered, such as beetles in remote jungles, weird fish from the abyssal depths, or niche mites from the eyelashes of a giraffe.  And it's not uncommon to hear of a species which has been occurred in Britain for the first time, having long been known in Europe, such as the cattle egret or various butterflies and moths. 

But a brand new species of tree in Scotland?  That’s what has been discovered in Arran - the Catacol whitebeam (Sorbus pseudomeincichii), a cross between whitebeam and rowan, but presumably a self sustaining, fertile one.

If you want to read more, you can do that here.

Comments

[Karen]

Do you have a copy of "Flora Celtica" by William Milliken and Sam Bridgewater? I think you'd find it interesting.

[Peter the flautist]

Exciting indeed. Slightly puzzled by the use of the word "cross" when the species name seems not to include an "X" in it. I also wondered if this is a bit like the Betula jacqumontii/ Betula utilis split/lump saga of some years back. However I am a physicist not a botanist, so I will defer of course to those who know what they are talking about. I guess this is written up in Watsonia or Notes from the RBG of some similar journal. Dark Puss