The present volume of Atlas Florae Europaeae (AFE) is the fourth of the no fewer than five devoted to the large, diversified family Rosaceae. Originally it was intended to include the traditional subfamilies Maloideae and Prunoideae in their entirety in the fourth rosaceous volume. However, the family proved its complexity and dimensions by compelling to devote a special volume to the genus Sorbus (s. lato). Even excluding Sorbus, the woody subfamilies of Rosaceae are by no means easy groups to map. Maps in this volume are based on data submitted on or before 2 May 2013.