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{{Short description|Species of flowering plant in the rose family Rosaceae}}
{{Short description|Species of flowering plants}}
{{For|other trees called service|Service tree}}
{{For|other trees called service|Service tree}}
{{Speciesbox
{{Speciesbox
| name = Service tree
|image = Sorbus domestica FruitsLeaves BotGardBln0906a.JPG
| image = Sorbus domestica FruitsLeaves BotGardBln0906a.JPG
|status = LC
|status_system = IUCN3.1
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
|status_ref = <ref name=IUCN>{{cite iucn |author=Wilson, B. |title=''Sorbus domestica'' |page=e.T79921100A119836528 |year=2018 |access-date=30 May 2022}}</ref>
| status_ref = <ref name=IUCN>{{cite iucn |author=Wilson, B. |title=''Sorbus domestica'' |page=e.T79921100A119836528 |year=2018 |access-date=30 May 2022}}</ref>
|parent = Sorbus subg. Cormus
| taxon = Cormus domestica
| parent_authority = [[Édouard Spach|Spach]]
|taxon = Sorbus domestica
|authority = [[Carl Linnaeus|L.]]
| authority = ([[Carl Linnaeus|L.]]) Spach
|range_map = Sorbus domestica range.svg
| range_map = Sorbus domestica range.svg
|range_map_caption = Distribution map
| range_map_caption = Distribution map
|synonyms =
| synonyms = {{hidden begin|title = List}}
* ''Crataegus austera'' <small>Salisb.</small>
* ''Cormus domestica'' <small>(L.) Spach</small><ref>{{citation |chapter-url = http://botany.si.edu/ing/ |title = Index Nominum Genericorum (ING) |chapter = Entry for ''Cormus'' |accessdate = 30 June 2016}}</ref>
* ''Prunus sorbus'' <small>(Gaertn.) P. Gaertn. & al.</small><ref>Oekon. Fl. Wetterau 2: 214. 1800</ref>
* ''Mespilus domestica'' <small>(L.) All.</small>
* ''Pyrus domestica'' <small>(L.) Ehrh.</small>
* ''Pyrus domestica'' <small></small><ref name = GRIN>{{citation |url = https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxonomydetail.aspx?id = 35018 |title = USDA GRIN Taxonomy |accessdate = 30 June 2016}}</ref>
* ''Pyrus sorbus'' <small>Gaertn.</small><ref name = GRIN/>
* ''Sorbus domestica'' <small>L.</small>
* ''Cormus domestica'' var. ''aucubifolia'' <small>Lavallée</small>
* ''Cormus domestica'' var. ''maliformis'' <small>Lavallée</small>
* ''Cormus domestica'' var. ''microcarpa'' <small>Lavallée</small>
* ''Cormus domestica'' var. ''monstrosa'' <small>Lavallée</small>
* ''Cormus domestica'' var. ''paradisiaca'' <small>Lavallée</small>
* ''Cormus domestica'' var. ''piriformis'' <small>Lavallée</small>
* ''Cormus domestica'' var. ''pusilla'' <small>Lavallée</small>
* ''Cormus domestica'' var. ''upsaliensis'' <small>Lavallée</small>
* ''Malus sorbus'' <small>Borkh.</small>
* ''Malus sorbus'' <small>(Gaertn.) Borkh.</small>
* ''Prunus sorbus'' <small>(Gaertn.) P.Gaertn., B.Mey. & Scherb.</small>
* ''Pyrenia sorbus'' <small>(Gaertn.) Clairv.</small>
* ''Pyrus domestica piriformis'' <small>Kirchn. & J.Eichler</small>
* ''Pyrus domestica syrmiensis'' <small>(Kit.) Asch. & Graebn.</small>
* ''Pyrus sorbus'' <small>Gaertn.</small>
* ''Pyrus sorbus'' <small>Borkh.</small>
* ''Pyrus sorbus'' var. ''maliformis'' <small>(Lodd.) Loudon</small>
* ''Pyrus sorbus'' var. ''pyriformis'' <small>(Lodd.) Loudon</small>
* ''Sorbus domestica'' var. ''albida'' <small>Risso</small>
* ''Sorbus domestica'' var. ''elongata'' <small>Risso</small>
* ''Sorbus domestica'' var. ''macrocarpa'' <small>Risso</small>
* ''Sorbus domestica'' var. ''maliformis'' <small>Lodd.</small>
* ''Sorbus domestica'' f. ''maliformis'' <small>(Lodd.) Gams</small>
* ''Sorbus domestica'' var. ''maliformis'' <small>G.Kirchn.</small>
* ''Sorbus domestica'' var. ''microcarpa'' <small>Risso</small>
* ''Sorbus domestica'' var. ''obtinui'' <small>Bertol.</small>
* ''Sorbus domestica'' var. ''obtusata'' <small>Diap.</small>
* ''Sorbus domestica'' f. ''piriformis'' <small>(Kirchn. & J.Eichler) Gams</small>
* ''Sorbus domestica pomifera'' <small>Hayne</small>
* ''Sorbus domestica'' var. ''pomifera'' <small>(Hayne) Rehder</small>
* ''Sorbus domestica'' f. ''pomifera'' <small>(Hayne) Rehder</small>
* ''Sorbus domestica pyrifera'' <small>Hayne</small>
* ''Sorbus domestica'' var. ''pyrifera'' <small>(Hayne) Rehder</small>
* ''Sorbus domestica'' f. ''pyrifera'' <small>(Hayne) Rehder</small>
* ''Sorbus domestica'' var. ''pyriformis'' <small>Lodd.</small>
* ''Sorbus domestica'' f. ''pyriformis'' <small>(Lodd.) Gams</small>
* ''Sorbus domestica'' var. ''serotina'' <small>Risso</small>
* ''Sorbus syrmiensis'' <small>Kit.</small>
{{hidden end}}
}}
}}


'''''Sorbus domestica''''', with the [[common name]] '''service tree'''<ref name=GRIN/> or '''sorb tree''' (because of its fruit), is a species of ''[[Sorbus]]'' native to western, central and southern [[Europe]], northwest [[Africa]] ([[Atlas Mountains]]), and southwest [[Asia]] (east to the [[Caucasus]]).<ref name=rotach>{{citation |author=Rotach, P. |year=1995 |title=Service tree ''Sorbus domestica'': Technical guidelines for genetic conservation and use |url=http://www.euforgen.org/fileadmin/templates/euforgen.org/upload/Publications/Technical_guidelines/860_Technical_guidelines_for_genetic_conservation_and_use_for_service_tree__Sorbus_domestica_.pdf |publisher=EUFORGEN: European Forest Genetic Resources Programme |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170131192229/http://www.euforgen.org/fileadmin/templates/euforgen.org/upload/Publications/Technical_guidelines/860_Technical_guidelines_for_genetic_conservation_and_use_for_service_tree__Sorbus_domestica_.pdf |archive-date= 31 January 2017 |url-status= dead}}</ref><ref name=rushforth>Rushforth, K. (1999). ''Trees of Britain and Europe''. Collins {{ISBN|0-00-220013-9}}.</ref><ref name=afm>Mitchell, A. F. (1974). ''A Field Guide to the Trees of Britain and Northern Europe'', p 280. Collins {{ISBN|0-00-212035-6}}</ref><ref name=watsonia>Hampton, M., & Kay, Q. O. N. (1995). ''Sorbus domestica'' L., new to Wales and the British Isles. ''[[Watsonia (journal)|Watsonia]]'' 20 (4): 379-384. Available [http://www.watsonia.org.uk/Wats20p379.pdf online (pdf file)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081217195303/http://www.watsonia.org.uk/Wats20p379.pdf |date=2008-12-17 }}</ref><ref name=bsbi>Hampton, M. (1996). Sorbus domestica L. - comparative morphology and habitats. ''BSBI News'' 73.</ref> It may be called '''true service tree''',<ref name=afm/> to distinguish it from wild service tree ''[[Sorbus torminalis]]''.
'''''Cormus domestica''''', [[common name|commonly known]] as '''service tree'''<ref name = GRIN>{{citation |url = https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=35018 |title = USDA GRIN Taxonomy |accessdate = 30 June 2016}}</ref> or '''sorb tree''', is a species of tree native to western, central and southern Europe, northwest Africa ([[Atlas Mountains]]), and southwest Asia (east to the [[Caucasus]]).<ref name=rotach>{{citation |author=Rotach, P. |year=1995 |title=Service tree ''Sorbus domestica'': Technical guidelines for genetic conservation and use |url=http://www.euforgen.org/fileadmin/templates/euforgen.org/upload/Publications/Technical_guidelines/860_Technical_guidelines_for_genetic_conservation_and_use_for_service_tree__Sorbus_domestica_.pdf |publisher=EUFORGEN: European Forest Genetic Resources Programme |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170131192229/http://www.euforgen.org/fileadmin/templates/euforgen.org/upload/Publications/Technical_guidelines/860_Technical_guidelines_for_genetic_conservation_and_use_for_service_tree__Sorbus_domestica_.pdf |archive-date= 31 January 2017 |url-status= dead}}</ref><ref name=rushforth>Rushforth, K. (1999). ''Trees of Britain and Europe''. Collins {{ISBN|0-00-220013-9}}.</ref><ref name=afm>Mitchell, A.'' f. ''(1974). ''A Field Guide to the Trees of Britain and Northern Europe'', p 280. Collins {{ISBN|0-00-212035-6}}</ref><ref name=watsonia>{{cite journal|last1=Hampton|first1= M.|last2= Kay|first2= Q. O. N. |year=1995|title=''Sorbus domestica'' L., new to Wales and the British Isles|journal= [[Watsonia (journal)|Watsonia]] |volume=20 |issue=4|pages=379–384|url= http://www.watsonia.org.uk/Wats20p379.pdf|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081217195303/http://www.watsonia.org.uk/Wats20p379.pdf |archive-date= 2008-12-17}}</ref><ref name=bsbi73>{{cite magazine|last=Hampton|first= M. |year=1996|title= ''Sorbus domestica'' L. - comparative morphology and habitats|magazine= BSBI News |volume=73|pages=32–36|url= http://archive.bsbi.org.uk/BSBINews73.pdf |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230716065815/http://archive.bsbi.org.uk/BSBINews73.pdf|archive-date= 2023-07-16|url-status=live }}</ref> It may be called '''true service tree''',<ref name=afm/> to distinguish it from [[Sorbus torminalis|wild service tree]]. It is the only species in the [[monotypic]] genus '''''Cormus'''.''


[[Image:Sorbus domestica.JPG|thumb|Foliage and fruit]]
[[Image:Sorbus domestica.JPG|thumb|Foliage and fruit]]
It is a [[deciduous]] [[tree]] growing to 15–20 m (rarely to 30 m) tall with a trunk up to 1 m diameter, though it can also be a [[shrub]] 2–3 m tall on exposed sites. The [[Bark (botany)|bark]] is brown, smooth on young trees, becoming fissured and flaky on old trees. The winter buds are green, with a sticky resinous coating. The [[leaf|leaves]] are 15–25&nbsp;cm long, [[leaf shape|pinnate]] with 13–21 leaflets 3–6&nbsp;cm long and 1&nbsp;cm broad, with a bluntly acute apex, and a serrated margin on the outer half or two thirds of the leaflet. The [[flower]]s are 13–18&nbsp;mm diameter, with five white petals and 20 creamy-white stamens; they are produced in [[corymb]]s 10–14&nbsp;cm diameter in late spring, and are [[plant sexuality|hermaphrodite]] and insect pollinated. The [[fruit]] is a [[pome]] 2–3&nbsp;cm long, greenish-brown, often tinged red on the side exposed to sunlight; it can be either apple-shaped (f. ''pomifera'' (Hayne) Rehder) or pear-shaped (f. ''pyrifera'' (Hayne) Rehder).<ref name=rotach/><ref name=rushforth/><ref name=afm/><ref name=watsonia/>
It is a [[deciduous]] [[tree]] growing to {{cvt|15|-|20|m}} (rarely to {{cvt|30|m|disp=or}}) tall with a trunk up to {{cvt|1|m}} diameter, though it can also be a [[shrub]] {{cvt|2|-|3|m|ft}} tall on exposed sites. The [[Bark (botany)|bark]] is brown, smooth on young trees, becoming fissured and flaky on old trees. The winter buds are green, with a sticky resinous coating. The [[leaf|leaves]] are {{cvt|15|-|25|cm}} long, [[leaf shape|pinnate]] with 13–21 leaflets {{cvt|3|-|6|cm}} long and {{cvt|1|cm}} broad, with a bluntly acute apex, and a serrated margin on the outer half or two thirds of the leaflet. The [[flower]]s are {{cvt|13|-|18|mm}} diameter, with five white petals and 20 creamy-white stamens; they are produced in [[corymb]]s {{cvt|10|-|14|cm}} diameter in late spring, and are [[plant sexuality|hermaphrodite]] and insect pollinated. The [[fruit]] is a [[pome]] {{cvt|2|-|3|cm}} long, greenish-brown, often tinged red on the side exposed to sunlight; it can be either apple-shaped (f. ''pomifera'' (Hayne) Rehder) or pear-shaped (f. ''pyrifera'' (Hayne) Rehder).<ref name=rotach/><ref name=rushforth/><ref name=afm/><ref name=watsonia/>


==Ecology==
==Ecology==
It is generally rare, listed as an [[endangered species]] in [[Switzerland]] and [[Austria]], and uncommon in [[Spain]].<ref name=rotach/> In the [[United Kingdom|UK]], one very old tree that existed in the [[Wyre Forest]] before being destroyed by fire in 1862 used to be considered native, but it is now generally considered to be more likely of cultivated origin, probably from a mediaeval monastery orchard planting.<ref name=watsonia/> More recently, a small population of genuinely wild specimens was found growing as stunted [[shrub]]s on [[cliff]]s in south Wales ([[Glamorgan]]) and nearby southwest England ([[Gloucestershire]]).<ref name=watsonia/><ref name=bsbi/> It is a very rare species in Britain, occurring at only a handful of sites. Its largest English population is within the [[Horseshoe Bend, Shirehampton|Horseshoe Bend]] [[Site of Special Scientific Interest]] at [[Shirehampton]], near [[Bristol]].
''Cormus domestica'' is generally rare, listed as an [[endangered species]] in Switzerland and Austria, and uncommon in Spain.<ref name=rotach/> In the UK, one very old tree that existed in the [[Wyre Forest]] before being destroyed by fire in 1862 used to be considered native, but it is now generally considered to be more likely of cultivated origin, probably from a mediaeval monastery orchard planting.<ref name=watsonia/> More recently, a small population of genuinely wild specimens was found growing as stunted [[shrub]]s on [[cliff]]s in south Wales ([[Glamorgan]]) and nearby southwest England ([[Gloucestershire]]).<ref name=watsonia/><ref name=bsbi73/> It is a very rare species in Britain, occurring at only a handful of sites. Its largest English population is within the [[Horseshoe Bend, Shirehampton|Horseshoe Bend]] [[Site of Special Scientific Interest]] at [[Shirehampton]], near [[Bristol]].


A further population has been discovered growing wild in [[Cornwall]] on a cliff in the upper [[River Camel|Camel Estuary]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Pearman|first1=David|title=BSBI News No. 125 January 2014 pages 37-38 by Ian Bennallick and David Pearman|publisher=Maney Online, BSBI|url=http://archive.bsbi.org.uk/BSBINews125.pdf}}</ref>
A further population has been discovered growing wild in [[Cornwall]] on a cliff in the upper [[River Camel|Camel Estuary]].<ref name=bsbi125>{{cite magazine|first1=Ian |last1=Bennallick|last2=Pearman|first2=David|title=''Sorbus domestica'' (True Service-tree) in Cornwall (v.c.2) |volume= 125| pages= 37–38 |magazine= BSBI News|year=2014|url=http://archive.bsbi.org.uk/BSBINews125.pdf |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230716024428/https://archive.bsbi.org.uk/BSBINews125.pdf|archive-date=2023-07-16 |url-status=live}}</ref>


It is a long-lived tree, with ages of 300–400 years estimated for some in Britain.<ref name=watsonia/>
It is a long-lived tree, with ages of 300–400 years estimated for some in Britain.<ref name=watsonia/>


The largest and perhaps one of the oldest known specimens in Europe is on an educational trail near the town of [[Strážnice]] in the province of [[Moravia]], [[Czech Republic]]. Its trunk measures {{convert|462|cm|ft}} in circumference, with a crown {{convert|11|m|ft}} high and {{convert|18|m|ft}} across. It is estimated to be around 450 years old.<ref>[http://www.treeforeurope.com/ SERVICE TREE – A TREE FOR NEW EUROPE] ''www.treeforeurope.com'', accessed 4 May 2021</ref>
The largest and perhaps one of the oldest known specimens in Europe is on an educational trail near the town of [[Strážnice]] in the province of [[Moravia]], Czech Republic. Its trunk measures {{cvt|462|cm|ft}} in circumference, with a crown {{cvt|11|m|ft}} high and {{cvt|18|m|ft}} across. It is estimated to be around 450 years old.<ref>[http://www.treeforeurope.com/ The Service Tree. The Tree for a New Europe] ''www.treeforeurope.com'', accessed 4 May 2021</ref>


==Cultivation and uses==
==Cultivation and uses==
[[File:Serbes S. domestica 2015-09-26.jpg|thumb|Some mature fruits]] [[File:Speierling jm55215.jpg|thumb|Fruits]]
[[File:Serbes S. domestica 2015-09-26.jpg|thumb|Some mature fruits]] [[File:Speierling jm55215.jpg|thumb|Fruits]]


The fruit is a component of a [[cider]]-like drink which is still made in parts of [[Europe]]. Picked straight off the tree, it is highly [[astringent]] and gritty;<ref>{{cite news |last1=Groothuis |first1=Marianne |title=Rare tree stands for a century |url=https://www.odt.co.nz/lifestyle/home-garden/rare-tree-stands-century |access-date=6 January 2021 |work=Otago Daily Times Online News |date=12 October 2012 |language=en}}</ref> however, when left to [[bletting|blet]] (overripen) it sweetens and becomes pleasant to eat.<ref name=rotach/><ref name=bean4>Bean, W. J. (1980). ''Trees and Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles'' 8th ed., vol. 4. John Murray {{ISBN|0-7195-2428-8}}.</ref> In the [[Moravian Slovakia]] region of the Czech Republic, there is a community-run museum<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.slovackemuzeum.cz/english/|title=Museum of Moravian Slovakia |website=www.slovackemuzeum.cz |accessdate = 3 June 2019}}</ref> with an educational trail and a festival for this tree, with products like jam, juice and brandy made from its fruit.<ref>Hrdousek V. et al: "Oskeruše - strom pro novou Evropu" (tr. ''"Oskeruše - a tree for a new Europe"''). Brazda, Hodonin, 2014, 240 pages; 550 pictures</ref>
The fruit is a component of a [[cider]]-like drink which is still made in parts of Europe. Picked straight off the tree, it is highly [[astringent]] and gritty;<ref>{{cite news |last1=Groothuis |first1=Marianne |title=Rare tree stands for a century |url=https://www.odt.co.nz/lifestyle/home-garden/rare-tree-stands-century |access-date=6 January 2021 |work=Otago Daily Times Online News |date=12 October 2012 |language=en}}</ref> however, when left to [[bletting|blet]] (overripen) it sweetens and becomes pleasant to eat.<ref name=rotach/><ref name=bean4>Bean, W. J. (1980). ''Trees and Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles'' 8th ed., vol. 4. John Murray {{ISBN|0-7195-2428-8}}.</ref> In the [[Moravian Slovakia]] region of the Czech Republic, there is a community-run museum<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.slovackemuzeum.cz/english/|title=Museum of Moravian Slovakia |website=www.slovackemuzeum.cz |accessdate = 3 June 2019}}</ref> with an educational trail and a festival for this tree, with products like jam, juice and brandy made from its fruit.<ref>Hrdousek V. et al: "Oskeruše - strom pro novou Evropu" (tr. ''"Oskeruše - a tree for a new Europe"''). Brazda, Hodonin, 2014, 240 pages; 550 pictures</ref>


The sorb tree is cited in the Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Ketubot, page 79a. The example refers to a purchase of Abba Zardasa, in a translation by Rashi, an early Medieval scholar, as a forest of trees called Zardasa, that was used for lumber, because the fruit was not commercially important. The Aramaic word 'zardasa' may be the origin of the English word 'sorb'.
The sorb tree is cited in the Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Ketubot, page 79a. The example refers to a purchase of Abba Zardasa, in a translation by Rashi, an early Medieval scholar, as a forest of trees called Zardasa, that was used for lumber, because the fruit was not commercially important. The Aramaic word 'zardasa' may be the origin of the English word 'sorb'.
Line 41: Line 81:
In Ancient Greece the fruit was cut in half and pickled, which Plato in the Symposium (190d7-8) has Aristophanes use as a metaphor for the cutting in half of the original spherical humans by Zeus.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://logeion.uchicago.edu/#%E1%BD%84%CE%B1|title = Logeion|website = logeion.uchicago.edu|access-date = 2016-03-12}}</ref>
In Ancient Greece the fruit was cut in half and pickled, which Plato in the Symposium (190d7-8) has Aristophanes use as a metaphor for the cutting in half of the original spherical humans by Zeus.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://logeion.uchicago.edu/#%E1%BD%84%CE%B1|title = Logeion|website = logeion.uchicago.edu|access-date = 2016-03-12}}</ref>


Service Tree wood was often used for manufacturing wooden planes of all types used for working wood, because Service Tree wood is fairly dense and holds a profile well.<ref>{{cite web|title=Speierling Sorbus domestica Beschreibung Steckbrief Systematik |url=https://www.pflanzen-deutschland.de/Sorbus_domestica.html |access-date=6 January 2021 |work=www.pflanzen-deutschland.de |language=de}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Speierling: Edles Obst für Kenner |url=https://www.br.de/br-fernsehen/sendungen/querbeet/pflanzen-lexikon/03-speierling-obst-veredelung100.html |access-date=6 January 2021 |work=[[Bayerischer Rundfunk]] |date=26 February 2016 |language=de}}</ref>
Service tree wood was often used for manufacturing wooden planes of all types used for working wood, because Service tree wood is fairly dense and holds a profile well.<ref>{{cite web|title=Speierling Sorbus domestica Beschreibung Steckbrief Systematik |url=https://www.pflanzen-deutschland.de/Sorbus_domestica.html |access-date=6 January 2021 |work=www.pflanzen-deutschland.de |language=de}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Speierling: Edles Obst für Kenner |url=https://www.br.de/br-fernsehen/sendungen/querbeet/pflanzen-lexikon/03-speierling-obst-veredelung100.html |access-date=6 January 2021 |work=[[Bayerischer Rundfunk]] |date=26 February 2016 |language=de |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224204952/https://www.br.de/br-fernsehen/sendungen/querbeet/pflanzen-lexikon/03-speierling-obst-veredelung100.html |archive-date=2021-02-24 }}</ref>


==Etymology and other names==
==Etymology and other names==
The English name comes from Middle English ''serves'', plural of ''serve'', from Old English ''syrfe'', borrowed from the Latin name ''sorbus''; it is unrelated to the verb ''serve''.<ref name=oed>[[Oxford English Dictionary]]</ref> Other English names include '''sorb''', '''sorb tree''', and '''whitty pear'''—"[[:wikt:whitty|whitty]]" because the leaves are similar to [[rowan]] (i.e. [[pinnate]]), and "pear" due to the nature of the fruit. The name ''sorb'', likewise, is from the Latin ''sorbus''; it has nothing to do with the Slavic ethnic groups known as the ''[[Sorbs]]'' and ''[[Serbs]]''.<ref name=oed/>
The English name comes from Middle English ''serves'', plural of ''serve'', from Old English ''syrfe'', borrowed from the Latin name ''sorbus''; it is unrelated to the verb ''serve''.<ref name=oed>[[Oxford English Dictionary]]</ref> Other English names include sorb, sorb tree, and whitty pear—"[[:wikt:whitty|whitty]]" because the leaves are similar to [[rowan]] (i.e. [[pinnate]]), and "pear" due to the shape of the fruit. The name ''sorb'', likewise, is from the Latin ''sorbus''; because of its fruit and has nothing to do with the Slavic ethnic groups known as the ''[[Sorbs]]'' and ''[[Serbs]]''.<ref name=oed/>


==References==
==References==
Line 51: Line 91:
== Further reading ==
== Further reading ==
* Wedig Kausch-Blecken von Schmeling: [http://www.speierling.de/Speierling_Buch.pdf ''Der Speierling'']. Verlag Kausch, Bovenden 2000, 184 S.
* Wedig Kausch-Blecken von Schmeling: [http://www.speierling.de/Speierling_Buch.pdf ''Der Speierling'']. Verlag Kausch, Bovenden 2000, 184 S.
* Hrdousek V. et al.: [http://www.treeforeurope.com/english-book "The Service Tree - The Tree for a New Europe"]. Brazda, Hodonin, 2014, 240 pages; 550 pictures
* Hrdousek V. et al.: [http://www.treeforeurope.com/english-book ''The Service Tree. The Tree for a New Europe'']. Brazda, Hodonin, 2014, 240 pages; 550 pictures
* [http://www.euforgen.org/species/sorbus-domestica/ ''Sorbus domestica''] - distribution map, genetic conservation units and related resources. [[European Forest Genetic Resources Programme]] (EUFORGEN)
* [http://www.euforgen.org/species/sorbus-domestica/ ''Sorbus domestica''] - distribution map, genetic conservation units and related resources. [[European Forest Genetic Resources Programme]] (EUFORGEN)
{{Taxonbar|from=Q159558}}
{{Taxonbar|from2=Q1684794|from1=Q18593737|from3=Q159558}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}


[[Category:Sorbus|domestica]]
[[Category:Rosaceae]]
[[Category:Flora of Europe]]
[[Category:Flora of Europe]]
[[Category:Flora of North Africa]]
[[Category:Flora of North Africa]]
[[Category:Flora of Turkey]]
[[Category:Flora of Turkey]]
[[Category:Trees of Europe]]
[[Category:Plants described in 1753]]
[[Category:Plants described in 1753]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus]]

Latest revision as of 03:02, 9 December 2024

For other trees called service, see Service tree.

Service tree
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Rosales
Family: Rosaceae
Genus: Cormus
Spach
Species:
C. domestica
Binomial name
Cormus domestica
(L.) Spach
Distribution map
Synonyms
List
  • Crataegus austera Salisb.
  • Mespilus domestica (L.) All.
  • Pyrus domestica (L.) Ehrh.
  • Sorbus domestica L.
  • Cormus domestica var. aucubifolia Lavallée
  • Cormus domestica var. maliformis Lavallée
  • Cormus domestica var. microcarpa Lavallée
  • Cormus domestica var. monstrosa Lavallée
  • Cormus domestica var. paradisiaca Lavallée
  • Cormus domestica var. piriformis Lavallée
  • Cormus domestica var. pusilla Lavallée
  • Cormus domestica var. upsaliensis Lavallée
  • Malus sorbus Borkh.
  • Malus sorbus (Gaertn.) Borkh.
  • Prunus sorbus (Gaertn.) P.Gaertn., B.Mey. & Scherb.
  • Pyrenia sorbus (Gaertn.) Clairv.
  • Pyrus domestica piriformis Kirchn. & J.Eichler
  • Pyrus domestica syrmiensis (Kit.) Asch. & Graebn.
  • Pyrus sorbus Gaertn.
  • Pyrus sorbus Borkh.
  • Pyrus sorbus var. maliformis (Lodd.) Loudon
  • Pyrus sorbus var. pyriformis (Lodd.) Loudon
  • Sorbus domestica var. albida Risso
  • Sorbus domestica var. elongata Risso
  • Sorbus domestica var. macrocarpa Risso
  • Sorbus domestica var. maliformis Lodd.
  • Sorbus domestica f. maliformis (Lodd.) Gams
  • Sorbus domestica var. maliformis G.Kirchn.
  • Sorbus domestica var. microcarpa Risso
  • Sorbus domestica var. obtinui Bertol.
  • Sorbus domestica var. obtusata Diap.
  • Sorbus domestica f. piriformis (Kirchn. & J.Eichler) Gams
  • Sorbus domestica pomifera Hayne
  • Sorbus domestica var. pomifera (Hayne) Rehder
  • Sorbus domestica f. pomifera (Hayne) Rehder
  • Sorbus domestica pyrifera Hayne
  • Sorbus domestica var. pyrifera (Hayne) Rehder
  • Sorbus domestica f. pyrifera (Hayne) Rehder
  • Sorbus domestica var. pyriformis Lodd.
  • Sorbus domestica f. pyriformis (Lodd.) Gams
  • Sorbus domestica var. serotina Risso
  • Sorbus syrmiensis Kit.

Cormus domestica, commonly known as service tree[2] or sorb tree, is a species of tree native to western, central and southern Europe, northwest Africa (Atlas Mountains), and southwest Asia (east to the Caucasus).[3][4][5][6][7] It may be called true service tree,[5] to distinguish it from wild service tree. It is the only species in the monotypic genus Cormus.

Foliage and fruit

It is a deciduous tree growing to 15–20 m (49–66 ft) (rarely to 30 m or 98 ft) tall with a trunk up to 1 m (3 ft 3 in) diameter, though it can also be a shrub 2–3 m (6.6–9.8 ft) tall on exposed sites. The bark is brown, smooth on young trees, becoming fissured and flaky on old trees. The winter buds are green, with a sticky resinous coating. The leaves are 15–25 cm (5.9–9.8 in) long, pinnate with 13–21 leaflets 3–6 cm (1.2–2.4 in) long and 1 cm (0.39 in) broad, with a bluntly acute apex, and a serrated margin on the outer half or two thirds of the leaflet. The flowers are 13–18 mm (0.51–0.71 in) diameter, with five white petals and 20 creamy-white stamens; they are produced in corymbs 10–14 cm (3.9–5.5 in) diameter in late spring, and are hermaphrodite and insect pollinated. The fruit is a pome 2–3 cm (0.79–1.18 in) long, greenish-brown, often tinged red on the side exposed to sunlight; it can be either apple-shaped (f. pomifera (Hayne) Rehder) or pear-shaped (f. pyrifera (Hayne) Rehder).[3][4][5][6]

Ecology

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Cormus domestica is generally rare, listed as an endangered species in Switzerland and Austria, and uncommon in Spain.[3] In the UK, one very old tree that existed in the Wyre Forest before being destroyed by fire in 1862 used to be considered native, but it is now generally considered to be more likely of cultivated origin, probably from a mediaeval monastery orchard planting.[6] More recently, a small population of genuinely wild specimens was found growing as stunted shrubs on cliffs in south Wales (Glamorgan) and nearby southwest England (Gloucestershire).[6][7] It is a very rare species in Britain, occurring at only a handful of sites. Its largest English population is within the Horseshoe Bend Site of Special Scientific Interest at Shirehampton, near Bristol.

A further population has been discovered growing wild in Cornwall on a cliff in the upper Camel Estuary.[8]

It is a long-lived tree, with ages of 300–400 years estimated for some in Britain.[6]

The largest and perhaps one of the oldest known specimens in Europe is on an educational trail near the town of Strážnice in the province of Moravia, Czech Republic. Its trunk measures 462 cm (15.16 ft) in circumference, with a crown 11 m (36 ft) high and 18 m (59 ft) across. It is estimated to be around 450 years old.[9]

Cultivation and uses

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Some mature fruits
Fruits

The fruit is a component of a cider-like drink which is still made in parts of Europe. Picked straight off the tree, it is highly astringent and gritty;[10] however, when left to blet (overripen) it sweetens and becomes pleasant to eat.[3][11] In the Moravian Slovakia region of the Czech Republic, there is a community-run museum[12] with an educational trail and a festival for this tree, with products like jam, juice and brandy made from its fruit.[13]

The sorb tree is cited in the Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Ketubot, page 79a. The example refers to a purchase of Abba Zardasa, in a translation by Rashi, an early Medieval scholar, as a forest of trees called Zardasa, that was used for lumber, because the fruit was not commercially important. The Aramaic word 'zardasa' may be the origin of the English word 'sorb'.

In Ancient Greece the fruit was cut in half and pickled, which Plato in the Symposium (190d7-8) has Aristophanes use as a metaphor for the cutting in half of the original spherical humans by Zeus.[14]

Service tree wood was often used for manufacturing wooden planes of all types used for working wood, because Service tree wood is fairly dense and holds a profile well.[15][16]

Etymology and other names

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The English name comes from Middle English serves, plural of serve, from Old English syrfe, borrowed from the Latin name sorbus; it is unrelated to the verb serve.[17] Other English names include sorb, sorb tree, and whitty pear—"whitty" because the leaves are similar to rowan (i.e. pinnate), and "pear" due to the shape of the fruit. The name sorb, likewise, is from the Latin sorbus; because of its fruit and has nothing to do with the Slavic ethnic groups known as the Sorbs and Serbs.[17]

References

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  1. ^ Wilson, B. (2018). "Sorbus domestica". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T79921100A119836528. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  2. ^ USDA GRIN Taxonomy, retrieved 30 June 2016
  3. ^ a b c d Rotach, P. (1995), Service tree Sorbus domestica: Technical guidelines for genetic conservation and use (PDF), EUFORGEN: European Forest Genetic Resources Programme, archived from the original (PDF) on 31 January 2017
  4. ^ a b Rushforth, K. (1999). Trees of Britain and Europe. Collins ISBN 0-00-220013-9.
  5. ^ a b c Mitchell, A. f. (1974). A Field Guide to the Trees of Britain and Northern Europe, p 280. Collins ISBN 0-00-212035-6
  6. ^ a b c d e Hampton, M.; Kay, Q. O. N. (1995). "Sorbus domestica L., new to Wales and the British Isles" (PDF). Watsonia. 20 (4): 379–384. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-12-17.
  7. ^ a b Hampton, M. (1996). "Sorbus domestica L. - comparative morphology and habitats" (PDF). BSBI News. Vol. 73. pp. 32–36. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2023-07-16.
  8. ^ Bennallick, Ian; Pearman, David (2014). "Sorbus domestica (True Service-tree) in Cornwall (v.c.2)" (PDF). BSBI News. Vol. 125. pp. 37–38. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2023-07-16.
  9. ^ The Service Tree. The Tree for a New Europe www.treeforeurope.com, accessed 4 May 2021
  10. ^ Groothuis, Marianne (12 October 2012). "Rare tree stands for a century". Otago Daily Times Online News. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  11. ^ Bean, W. J. (1980). Trees and Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles 8th ed., vol. 4. John Murray ISBN 0-7195-2428-8.
  12. ^ "Museum of Moravian Slovakia". www.slovackemuzeum.cz. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
  13. ^ Hrdousek V. et al: "Oskeruše - strom pro novou Evropu" (tr. "Oskeruše - a tree for a new Europe"). Brazda, Hodonin, 2014, 240 pages; 550 pictures
  14. ^ "Logeion". logeion.uchicago.edu. Retrieved 2016-03-12.
  15. ^ "Speierling Sorbus domestica Beschreibung Steckbrief Systematik". www.pflanzen-deutschland.de (in German). Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  16. ^ "Speierling: Edles Obst für Kenner". Bayerischer Rundfunk (in German). 26 February 2016. Archived from the original on 2021-02-24. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  17. ^ a b Oxford English Dictionary

Further reading

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