Aria wilmottiana

Aria wilmottiana, commonly known as Willmott's whitebeam,^[2] is a species of whitebeam in the family Rosaceae. It is endemic to England, and is found in the Avon Gorge, in Somerset and Gloucestershire. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Aria wilmottiana
Conservation status
Endangered  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Rosales
Family:	Rosaceae
Genus:	Aria
Species:	A. wilmottiana
Binomial name
Aria wilmottiana (E.F.Warb.) Sennikov & Kurtto
Synonyms
Pyrus wilmottiana (E.F.Warb.) M.F.Fay & Christenh. Sorbus wilmottiana E.F.Warb.

Description

Aria wilmottiana is a small tree or shrub, up to 10m in height. It is often multistemmed, with rather upright branches.^[3]

Distribution

This species is confined to the Avon Gorge, in SW England; less than 100 individuals are known.^[4]

Ecology and evolution

Aria wilmottiana appears to be shade intolerant, growing in rocky scrub and grassland on shallow, mildly acidic soils.^[5] Aria wilmottiana arose from a cross between Aria edulis and Aria porrigentiformis.^[6]