Aria leighensis

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

Aria leighensis
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. leighensis
Binomial name
Aria leighensis T.C.G.Rich
Synonyms
Pyrus leighensis (T.C.G.Rich) M.F.Fay & Christenh. Sorbus leighensis T.C.G.Rich

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.^[2]

It is named after Leigh Woods in the Avon Gorge, where it is known.^[3][4] DNA analysis in the 2000s classified it as a triploid apomict from A. edulis × A. porrigentiformis.^[5][6]