Checkertree mountainash (Sorbus torminalis (L.) Crantz): new breeding forms and promises of their use in horticulture

Morphological and ecological peculiarities of checker tree mountain ash (Torminalis glaberrima) plants and biochemical composition of its fruits

“…Both in Ukraine and abroad the main reason for population decline of T. glaberrima is the thoughtless exploitation of its natural specimens (Thomas, 2017), which led by the end of the XIX century and in the early XX century to the catastrophic reduction of its population to barely1% of the total area of mixed forests Grynyk et al, 2019;Lefèvre et al, 2020). Checker tree free felling was suspended at the state level in the second half of the 1920's only through the awakening of ecological consciousness, and in due course, this species was listed in 'The Red Book' (Didukh, 2009) and state programs for its protection have been launched (Shpak et al, 2017).…”

“…Checker tree free felling was suspended at the state level in the second half of the 1920's only through the awakening of ecological consciousness, and in due course, this species was listed in 'The Red Book' (Didukh, 2009) and state programs for its protection have been launched (Shpak et al, 2017). The addition of wild service tree to 'The Red Book' is only the initial stage of the program for its conservation as a rare and endangered species on the territory of Ukraine, aimed at increase in its population (Krynytskyi et al, 2017;Shpak, 2018;Grynyk et al, 2019;Lefèvre et al, 2020). It should be noted that the checker tree is an aboriginal species and the extreme north-eastern limit of its distribution is: Zаkаrpаttia, Peredkarpattia, Bukovynа, Pоdіllia, some localities are in the mountainous Crimea (Kоsеts, 1941;Termena & Budzhak, 1997;Mosyakin, 1999;Budzhak et al, 2000;Didukh, 2009).…”

“…One of the unique species of the plants in the gene pool of Ukraine and Europe is the checkertree mountain ash (Torminalis glaberrima (Gand.) Sennikov & Kurtto) Hoebee et al, 2006;Ulaszewski et al, 2017;Shpak, 2018;Grynyk et al, 2019). Its environmental status in Ukraine has not been valued yet (Didukh, 2009).…”

“…In the Carpathians, Crimea, this species grows in rock-oak and rock-oak-pine forests and is common in the middle mountainous belt (Kоsеts, 1941;Gоrdіyenkо, 2007;Shpak, 2019). The reduction in the number of the species is brought about by felling of mixed deciduous forests (Aas & Kohles, 2011), their replacement by monocultures, selective felling of the checker tree mountain ash as valuable wood for the production of musical instruments, furniture (Termena & Budzhak, 1997;Grynyk et al, 2019). Сhecker tree mountain ash, or checker tree, оr wild service tree, or Sorbus torminalis (L.) Crantz, 1763, or Torminalis glaberrima (Gand.)…”

“…This species belongs taxonomically to the phylum (series) Tracheophytes, order (row) Rosales, family Rosaceae, subfamily Amygdaloideae, tribe Maleae, subtribe Malinae, genus Torminalis Medik (Grynyk et al, 2019;Moskalets et al, 2020). The species name S. torminalis originates from the Celtic word 'sor' -'tart' or from Latin 'sorbere' -'absorb' or from Latin 'torminalis', 'tormina' -'intestinal colic' or, perhaps, from the Greek 'torminalis' -'soothes abdominal pain', because the fruits of checker tree have long been considered as an auxiliary means of the treatment of people with dysentery (Kоsеts, 1941;Gaivelyte et al, 2014).…”