Pinaceae Abies bracteata (D. Don) A. Poit.
Etymology
Abies refers to ‘to rise’; indicating large trees.
bracteata refers to its long bracts.
Colloquial Name
Bristlecone fir, Santa Lucia fir
Description
These trees can grow between 30 and 50 meters tall, with trunks reaching up to 1.5 meters in diameter. The trunk is straight and cylindrical, supporting a pyramidal crown that narrows to a sharp point at the top. Young trees have smooth, gray or whitish bark, which darkens over time to blackish-gray or brown, becoming rough and fissured near the base.
The main branches are long and slender, gradually becoming shorter toward the top. They spread out horizontally, with the lower ones hanging downward. The smaller branches also spread out before drooping. The twigs are firm but slender, with the lowest ones being especially long and pendulous. Their color varies from greenish-brown to reddish or purplish-brown, later turning gray-green or olive-green. They are usually smooth or slightly ridged, with circular scars where leaves have fallen.
The buds are spindle-shaped or cone-like, with sharply pointed tips. They measure between 1.2 and 2 cm long and are not sticky with resin. The bud scales are triangular, either blunt or pointed at the tips, and they spread open when dry. They are light brown, with only the lower scales remaining on the tree for a few years before falling off. The needles grow in a spiral pattern and form two distinct rows along the sides of the twigs. On shaded branches, they are spaced farther apart and loosely arranged, while on cone-bearing branches, they are more clustered and slightly upward-pointing. They range from 2.8 to 6 cm long and 2 to 3.5 mm wide, with strongly twisted bases. The needles are long and narrow, tapering at both ends, often slightly curved, with sharp, hardened tips. The upper surface is shallowly grooved and glossy dark or grayish-green, while the underside has two broad, pale greenish-white bands separated by a raised green midrib. Tiny openings called stomata are arranged in two bands on the lower surface.
The pollen cones grow laterally on the branches and are attached by short stalks. They have small, curved outer scales and are yellow-brown with purplish structures that produce pollen. The seed cones also grow along the sides of branches, standing upright on short stalks that can reach up to 1 cm in length. They are round to oval in shape, measuring between 4 and 10 cm long and 4 to 6 cm wide, with a blunt tip. When young, they are greenish with a purple tint, later ripening to a pale purplish-brown or brown color. After the seeds are released, the central axis of the cone remains on the tree, forming a cylindrical or conical structure that turns blackish-brown.
The cone scales are broadly oval or kidney-shaped, measuring around 1.5 to 1.7 cm in length and 2 to 2.2 cm in width at the middle of the cone. Their surface is either smooth or slightly rough, and they are hairless. The upper edge is unbroken and curves inward, while the base is attached to a short stalk. The bracts inside the cone are firmly attached to the seed scales and have an elongated, twisted tip. These bracts are between 2.5 and 6 cm long, extending beyond the cone’s surface, with the cusps either twisting or spreading outward.
The seeds are wedge-shaped and slightly oval, measuring 8 to 10 mm long and pale brown in color. Each seed has a broad, wing-like extension that is about 10 mm long, helping it disperse in the wind. These wings are either slightly asymmetrical or evenly wedge-shaped and share the same pale brown color as the seed.
Distribution
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Habitat
The natural habitats for Abies bracteata are temperate forests. It is naturally found at an elevation of at least 1600 up to 1600 metres. Other conifers associated with Abies bracteata are:
USDA Hardiness zone – 7
Abies bracteata is hardy to USDA Zone 7 (Bannister & Neuner, 2001), meaning its frost tolerance lies somewhere in the range of -17.8C (0F) to -12.2C (10F).
Species Continuity
The population trend for Abies bracteata is stable. There are ongoing threats for Abies bracteata and they are listed as follows:
- 3 Climate Change & Natural Disasters
- 4 Invasive Species / Pathogens & Genetic Risks
- 5 Natural System Modifications
IUCN Category – NT
According to the IUCN Red List, Abies bracteata has been assigned the status of NT(Near Threatened). This means that according to the Red List criteria, this species is not threatened, but is close to having this status.
Superordinate Taxa
The nearest superordinate taxon for Abies bracteata is Sect. Bracteata. Because Sect. Bracteata contains only one species, this taxon is considered as monotypic.Abies bracteata is further placed under Abietoideae. Abies bracteata 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
‘Corbin’
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