Pinaceae Abies cilicica ssp. cilicica (Antoine & Kotschy) Carrière
Etymology
Abies refers to ‘to rise’; indicating large trees.
cilicica refers to ‘Cilicia’; a coastal region in Turkey.
Colloquial Name
Cilician fir
Description
These trees can grow up to 30 meters tall, with trunks reaching up to a meter in diameter. The trunk is straight and cylindrical, supporting a narrow, cone-shaped crown. The bark starts off smooth and gray in younger trees but becomes rough, scaly, and fissured as the tree matures.
The main branches spread out horizontally, with the upper ones angling slightly upward. Smaller branches also extend outward. The young twigs are sturdy and thick, with a yellowish or greenish-brown color that later turns gray. When they first emerge, they have a faint fuzz but quickly become smooth. The scars left by fallen leaves are circular and dark.
The buds are small, oval, and pointed, measuring about 3 to 4 mm long and 2 to 3 mm wide. They do not produce resin. Their scales are broadly oval, light brown or orange-brown, and remain on the tree for several years before shedding. The needles grow in a spiral pattern along the branches, often pointing forward, especially on non-flowering shoots. On cone-bearing branches, they are arranged more radially and angle slightly upward. They range from 2.5 to 4 cm long and 1.5 to 1.8 mm wide, twisting at the base and narrowing suddenly. Their shape is long and flat, with a bright green or slightly bluish-green upper surface and a pale greenish-white underside with a noticeable green midrib. The tips are rounded or slightly notched. Small openings called stomata form two broad bands separated by a midrib on the lower surface.
The pollen cones grow along the sides of the branches, attached by short stalks. They are small, about 1 to 1.5 cm long, and have a yellowish color with red-tinted scales that produce pollen. The seed cones grow in an upright position, often appearing in pairs. They have either very short stalks or none at all. Their shape is cylindrical, with a rounded, slightly indented, or small bump-like tip. They measure between 16 and 20 cm long, sometimes reaching 30 cm, and are 4 to 6 cm wide. When young, they are greenish but turn reddish-brown as they mature, often producing resin, before aging to a darker brown. The central cone structure remains on the tree after the seeds are released, forming a narrow, cone-shaped, dark brown remnant.
The cone scales are broad and fan-shaped, measuring 2.5 to 3 cm long and 3 to 4 cm wide at the middle of the cone. Their surface is smooth but has a fine fuzz on the exposed parts. The upper edge is thin and unbroken, while the base narrows into a short stalk. The bracts inside the cone are long and narrow, measuring 1.5 to 2.5 cm, and usually stay hidden, though they sometimes extend slightly beyond the cone scales.
The seeds are light brown, triangular with a rounded top, and about 10 to 12 mm long and 5 mm wide. Each seed has a broad, wedge-shaped wing that is 14 to 17 mm long, helping it disperse in the wind.
Subordinate Taxa
There exist 2 subordinate taxa for Abies cilicica:
Distribution
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TDWG Codes
3, 34, LBS, LBS-LB, LBS-SY, TUR
Habitat
The natural habitats for Abies cilicica ssp. cilicica are temperate forests. It is naturally found at an elevation of at least 2100 up to 2100 metres. Other conifers associated with Abies cilicica ssp. cilicica are:
USDA Hardiness zone – 5
Abies cilicica ssp. cilicica 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 cilicica ssp. cilicica is decreasing. There are ongoing threats for Abies cilicica ssp. cilicica and they are listed as follows:
- 1 Habitat Loss & Degradation
- 2 Overexploitation & Resource Use
- 3 Climate Change & Natural Disasters
- 5 Natural System Modifications
IUCN Category – NT
According to the IUCN Red List, Abies cilicica ssp. cilicica 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 cilicica is Sect. Abies. The coordinate taxa for Abies cilicica are therefore:
Abies cilicica ssp. cilicica is further placed under Abietoideae. Abies cilicica ssp. cilicica 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.
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