Bloody Whitebeam
CR

Bloody Whitebeam

Sorbus vexans

StableCREUCREU

Photo: Photo: Sam Thomas via Wikimedia Commons CC BY 2.0

Overview

Aria vexans, commonly known as bloody whitebeam, is a rare species of tree in the family Rosaceae. It is endemic to England and is found along the coast between Culbone in Somerset and an area just west of Trentishoe in Devon. It can be seen in the Exmoor National Park. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Sorbus vexans faces severe population decline due to its extremely restricted range and specialized habitat requirements. The species is threatened by habitat degradation from grazing pressure, invasive plant species encroachment, and climate-induced changes to its montane environment. Its small population size makes it particularly vulnerable to stochastic events and genetic bottlenecks.

Threat summary

Habitat

Sorbus vexans occupies rocky montane slopes and cliff ledges in specialized limestone habitats. The species is adapted to harsh, exposed conditions with shallow soils and extreme temperature fluctuations typical of high-altitude environments.

Forest· majorShrubland· major

Conservation measures underway

Species recoveryEx-situ conservation

Other threatened species in ROSACEAE

EN

Bristol Whitebeam

Sorbus bristoliensis

Increasing
EN

Arran Whitebeam

Sorbus arranensis

Declining
EN

Prunus detrita

Declining
VU

Sorbus degenii

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Bloody Whitebeam classified as Critically Endangered?
Bloody Whitebeam is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Sorbus vexans faces severe population decline due to its extremely restricted range and specialized habitat requirements. The species is threatened by habitat degradation from grazing pressure, invasive plant species encroachment, and climate-induced changes to its montane environment. Its small population size makes it particularly vulnerable to stochastic events and genetic bottlenecks.
Where does Bloody Whitebeam live?
Bloody Whitebeam occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Bloody Whitebeam?
The main threats to Bloody Whitebeam are 2.3, ai-1, ai-2, and ai-3. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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