Abies amabilis

Pinaceae Abies amabilis Douglas ex J. Forbes

Etymology
Abies refers to ‘to rise’; indicating large trees.
amabilis refers to ‘lovely’.

Colloquial Name
Pacific silver fir, Lovely fir, Cascades fir

Description
These trees can grow between 45 and 80 meters tall, with trunks reaching up to 2 to 3 meters in diameter. The trunk is straight, massive, and cylindrical, with a narrow conical crown that becomes more irregular as the tree ages. Young trees have smooth, ash-gray or whitish bark with resin-filled blisters, while older trees develop deeply furrowed brown bark that breaks into small plates.

The main branches grow horizontally and are relatively short and thick, with the lower ones curving downward. Smaller branches are short, slightly curved, and spread outward. The twigs are slender, light greenish-brown or grayish at first, then turn reddish-brown as they mature. They have ridges and grooves and may be sparsely or densely covered in fine, light-colored hairs. The scars left by fallen leaves are circular and reddish.

The buds are nearly round, about 5 mm long and 4 mm wide, and heavily coated in sticky resin. Their scales are dark purple and stay on the tree for several years. The needles grow in a spiral pattern along the branches. On regular branches, the lower needles fan out in two rows, while the upper ones point forward, covering the branch. On cone-bearing shoots, the needles radiate outward and curve slightly, with the upper ones pointing upward. They measure 2 to 3 cm long and 1.5 to 2 mm wide, with a slight twist at the base. The needles are long, flat, and grooved, with a glossy dark green upper side and two silvery-white bands underneath. The tip is slightly notched or blunt. The underside of the needle has two bands of tiny pores (stomata) separated by a midrib, while the upper side has few or no stomata.

The pollen cones grow individually in the leaf axils but are usually numerous along the branches. They are small, only 1 to 1.5 cm long, and have red scales that produce pollen. The seed cones grow upright, mostly near the ends of the branches, on short stalks. They are oblong or cylindrical, with a rounded or slightly raised tip, measuring 9 to 15 cm long and 5 to 8 cm wide. When young, they are purple or sometimes greenish, turning purplish-brown as they mature and brown when fully ripe. The central axis of the cone remains on the tree after the seeds are released and is cylindrical-conical, dark or light brown.

The cone scales are broad and fan-shaped or wedge-like, curving backward when mature. In the middle of the cone, they are about 2 to 2.8 cm long and 2.5 to 3.5 cm wide. The surface is smooth but often heavily coated in resin and covered with fine hairs on both sides. The upper edge is strongly curved inward, and the base extends downward on a long stalk. The bracts, small modified leaves attached to the scales, are oblong and about 1 to 1.5 cm long, with a very short pointed tip, but they remain hidden inside the cone.

The seeds are oblong, measuring 10 to 12 mm long, and light brown. They have broad, nearly rectangular wings that are about 18 by 20 mm in size and range in color from yellow to pale brown, helping them disperse in the wind.

Distribution

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TDWG Codes
7, 70, ASK, 71, BRC, 73, ORE, WAS, 76, CAL

Habitat
The natural habitats for Abies amabilis are temperate forests. It is naturally found at an elevation of at least 1800 up to 1800 metres. Other conifers associated with Abies amabilis are:

USDA Hardiness zone – 5
Abies amabilis is hardy to USDA Zone 5 (Bannister & Neuner, 2001), meaning its frost tolerance lies somewhere in the range of -28.9C (-20F) to -23.3C (-10F).

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

• 2 Overexploitation & Resource Use
  • 2.1 Logging & Wood Harvesting
• 4 Invasive Species / Pathogens & Genetic Risks
  • 4.1 Invasive Non-Native Species & Diseases

IUCN Category – LC
According to the IUCN Red List, Abies amabilis has been assigned the status of LC(Least Concern). This means that according to the Red List criteria, this species is not qualified as threatened.

Superordinate Taxa
The nearest superordinate taxon for Abies amabilis is Sect. Amabilis. The coordinate taxa for Abies amabilis are therefore:

Abies amabilis is further placed under Abietoideae. Abies amabilis is also placed under Pinaceae.

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Cultivars
‘Compacta’, ‘Fastigiata’, ‘Hoyt’, ‘Indian Heaven’, ‘Procumbens’, ‘Spreading Star’