Family |
Rosaceae
Aria umbellata
(Desf.) Sennikov & Kurtto
Aria umbellata (Desf.) Sennikov & Kurtto
(Nouvelle Flore du Liban et de la Syrie, vol. 2, Pl. LXXVII nº 2; 1983, under Sorbus flabellifolia)
Description
Life-form & habit: Tree (rarely spared by grazing and not reduced to a meager shrub), up to 5 m tall.
Leaves: 5–7 × 3–5 cm, ovate, not lobed but with marginal teeth divided into large, often denticulate lobules; 5–8 pairs of prominent lateral veins. Upper surface green and glabrous; lower surface grey-white, densely tomentose.
Inflorescence & flowers: Ramified corymbs with long, reddish peduncles and pedicels under a detachable white tomentum. Calyx tomentose, with lobes shorter than the obconical tube. Petals white. Numerous stamens with reddish filaments.
Fruit: Glabrous, brown, ovoid, ca. 1 cm long, crowned by persistent calyx lobes.
Flowering and habitat
Phenology: Flowers in May–June.
Habitat & elevation: Rocky wooded areas in subalpine and montane zones.
Distribution
Lebanese distribution: Mm. Jabal Barouk, Cedars of ‘Aïn Zehalta, Jabal Sannine, Jabal Abiad above Sir, Jourd Tannourine, Jabal Kneissé, Jabal Jaj near Laqlouq, Sir, east of Douma, Ehden, Forest of Ehden, Qamou‘a.
Syrian distribution: A.L. North of Bloudane; Mm. Slenfé, Col de Chatha.
Native range: Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Iran and SE. Europe to Caucasus
Recorded locations: Sannine, Tannourine, Fnaidek.
⚠️ Taxonomic note:
POWO treats Sorbus flabellifolia (Spach) S.Schauer as a heterotypic synonym of Aria umbellata (Desf.) Sennikov & Kurtto. Morphological differences of potential taxonomic significance have been observed among populations in different areas of Lebanon. The Lebanese taxon therefore requires further taxonomic revision; the significance of these differences remains unresolved, and this combined treatment is adopted provisionally pending comparative study.
Taxonomic source: Kew POWO — Aria umbellata.