Karpatiosorbus devoniensis
{{Short description|Species of tree}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Devon_Whitebeam.JPG
| image_caption = Devon whitebeam, leaves and young fruit
| status = VU
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| genus = Karpatiosorbus
| parent = Karpatiosorbus
| species = devoniensis
| authority = (E.F.Warb.) Sennikov & Kurtto
| synonyms =
{{Plainlist | style = margin-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em; |
- Pyrus rotundifolia E.S.Marshall
- Sorbus latifolia Syme,p.p.69
- Sorbus devoniensis E.F.Warb.
}}
| synonyms_ref = {{citation
|url=http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/rjp-69
|title=The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species
|access-date=27 December 2016}}
}}
Karpatiosorbus devoniensis is known by the English name of Devon whitebeam{{BSBI 2007 |access-date=2014-10-17}} and formally as Broad-leaved Whitebeam. When the fruit was reported as sold at Barnstaple Pannier Market Cann, David (2016) Sorbus subgenus Torminaria (Sorbus latifolia agg.) in Devon newspapers. BSBI News No. 133 September pp. 12-17 the name French Eagles was used, apart from 1929 when they were reported as eagle-berries. When the trees were reported as seen growing wild on botanical walks they were referred to as French Hails (once each as French hail and French Hales). Broad-leaved white-beam, which was the common name until Devon Whitebeam took over, was used once in 1907.
The term Otmast was used once as a pet name,Heligan Survivors ed. Philip McMillan Browse (2009). Alison Hodge. pp 54-55. ISBN 978-0-906720-53-0 as its true identity was not known.{{citation |author=Browse, P.M.M. |year=2005 |title=Heligan: Fruit, Flowers and Herbs |publisher=Alison Hodge |isbn=9780906720400 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D36IWrYiixgC |pages=88–89}} The term sorb apple has been used recently but completely without foundation, it is another example of a name being attributed to the wrong species. It is a species of whitebeam, trees and shrubs in the family Rosaceae. It is endemic to the British Isles, growing wild in areas of Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and south-east Ireland as a native and north-east Ireland as an introduction.
It probably did not exist before the last ice age, arising from a hybrid between Sorbus torminalis, the wild service tree, and another species of whitebeam. It is a close relative of the Watersmeet whitebeam, Karpatiosorbus admonitor, and two other British natives and around 40 species in Europe.{{Cite book|title=Flora Europaea}}
Description
File:Sorbus devoniensis fruit.jpg
It will form a deciduous tree to about 12 metres height.
The leaves are entire, lobed, dark green above, the underside has a dense layer of grey hairs.
It flowers at the end of May, they are white with 5 petals.
The fruit ripen at the end of October. They are orange-brown to brown, and edible.
Locations found
- along the River Taw and River Torridge
- Roborough Down near Plymouth is where the type specimen was taken
- Little Haldon, at Bishopsteignton along the Postman's Path
- Boyton, Cornwall
- South East and North East Ireland (rarely)
- Halsdon Nature Reserve near Great Torrington managed by the Devon Wildlife Trust - a small tree
- Uppacott Wood Nature reserve between Barnstaple and Bideford also managed by the Devon Wildlife Trust, has a few trees
- Watergate Bridge near Great Torrington, grid ref SS468175. The plant growing on the old platform has been removed
- Leigh Cross, Zeal Monachorum
- Watergate, Horwood
- Washington Park Arboretum in Seattle, WA, USA. Some plants in cultivation are incorrectly named so this should be verified
- Between Martinhoe and Lynton in heath and woodland. Importantly not in the East Lyn valley as those plants are Sorbus admonitor