Abies squamata

Pinaceae Abies squamata Mast.

Etymology
Abies refers to ‘to rise’; indicating large trees.
squamata refers to ‘scaly’; indicating its flaky bark.

Colloquial Name
Flaky fir

Description
These trees can grow up to 40 meters tall, with trunks reaching up to 2 meters in diameter. The trunk is straight and cylindrical, supporting a crown that can be either broad or narrow with a conical shape. Young trees have smooth bark that is purplish or pinkish-brown and peels off in thin layers, similar to birch trees. As the tree ages, the bark becomes rough and develops a shaggy texture, with papery flakes that remain attached. The older bark breaks into hard, rough plates, which are orange-brown when freshly exposed and dark greyish-black near the base of the trunk.

The main branches are long and spread out horizontally, with the lower ones hanging downward. The smaller branches also grow outward, with those near the top angling slightly upward. The twigs are thick, firm, and dark reddish to purplish-brown, with a glossy surface that is ridged and grooved. They are usually hairless, though some may have a few hairs in the grooves. Small, circular leaf scars remain where leaves have fallen.

The buds are rounded to oval and covered in a thick layer of white resin, which gradually erodes over time. Their protective bud scales are triangular, ridged, and reddish-brown, remaining on the tree for several years. The leaves grow densely in a spiral pattern along the branches, forming two distinct rows on either side. On cone-bearing branches, they angle slightly upward. They are stiff and narrow, ranging from 1.5 to 2.5 cm in length and 1.5 to 2 mm in width. The base is slightly twisted or curved, and the leaves have a flattened shape with a groove running along the top. The upper surface is green or slightly bluish-green, while the underside has two pale, bluish-white or greenish-white bands. The tips can be either blunt or sharp. Tiny pores called stomata are scattered near the tip on the upper surface, while on the underside, they form two distinct bands separated by a midrib.

Pollen cones grow along the sides of branches, hanging downward from the underside of shoots. They are 2 to 3 cm long, yellowish in color, and have small pollen-producing structures that are purple. The seed cones grow upright on short stalks along the branches. They are oval to cylindrical in shape, with a rounded tip, and measure 5 to 7 cm long and 3 to 4 cm wide. When young, they are violet-blue, later ripening to a deep violet-brown. After releasing their seeds, the central stalk remains as a dark violet-brown, spindle-shaped structure.

The seed scales are wedge-shaped and fan-like, about 1.3 cm long and 1.5 cm wide at the middle of the cone. They are slightly thickened at the tip, with a smooth surface that has fine hairs. The upper edge is smooth and curves inward, while the base has small ear-like extensions and is attached to a short stalk. The bracts, small leaf-like structures beneath the seed scales, are oblong and spoon-shaped, measuring 1.5 to 1.8 cm long. They extend slightly beyond the seed scales, with tips that are either curved backward or straight.

The seeds are wedge-shaped, about 5 mm long and 2.5 mm wide, and dark brown to nearly black in color. Each seed has a broad, elongated wing, about 7 to 8 mm long and 6 mm wide, which is violet-brown and aids in wind dispersal.

Distribution

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TDWG Codes
3, 36, CHC, CHC-SC, CHN, CHN-GS, CHQ, CHT

Habitat
The natural habitats for Abies squamata are temperate forests. It is naturally found at an elevation of at least 4700 up to 4700 metres. Other conifers associated with Abies squamata are:

USDA Hardiness zone – 6
Abies squamata is hardy to USDA Zone 6 (Bannister & Neuner, 2001), meaning its frost tolerance lies somewhere in the range of -23.3C (-10F) to -17.8C (0F).

Species Continuity
The population trend for Abies squamata is stable. There are ongoing threats for Abies squamata and they are listed as follows:

• 2 Overexploitation & Resource Use
  • 2.1 Logging & Wood Harvesting

IUCN Category – VU
According to the IUCN Red List, Abies squamata has been assigned the status of VU(Vulnerable). This means that according to the Red List criteria, this species qualifies as Vulnerable and is of risk.

Superordinate Taxa
The nearest superordinate taxon for Abies squamata is Subsect. Squamatae. Because Subsect. Squamatae contains only one species, this taxon is considered as monotypic.Abies squamata is further placed under Abietoideae. Abies squamata is also placed under Pinaceae.

This map shows botanical records (points) for this taxon. By opening the map’s sidebar (collapsed by default) you can toggle visibility or change the basemap. By clicking on records, you reveal more information.

Cultivars
‘Flaky’