Abies forrestii var. ferreana

Pinaceae Abies forrestii var. ferreana (Bordères & Gaussen) Farjon & Silba

Etymology
Abies refers to ‘to rise’; indicating large trees.
forrest refers to the plant hunter George Forrest.
ferreana refers to the French botanist Y. de Ferré.

Colloquial Name
Ferré’s fir

Description
These trees can reach up to 40 meters in height, with a straight, column-like trunk that remains unbranched until higher up, forming a broad conical crown that flattens with age. The bark starts off smooth and brownish-gray, later becoming dark brown and fissured near the base in older trees.

The main branches are long and extend outward, while the upper branches angle slightly upward. Smaller branches also grow in an upward direction. The young twigs are thick and can range in color from purplish to reddish or orange-brown, eventually turning gray. Their surface is finely grooved and covered in short, rust-colored hairs. The scars left by fallen needles are circular or oval.

The buds are rounded to oval, measuring between 4 and 10 millimeters long and 3 to 7 millimeters wide. They are covered in a thick layer of sticky resin. The bud scales are reddish-brown, coated with white resin, and persist on the tree for several years. The needles grow densely in a spiral pattern, forming several overlapping ranks that separate slightly in the middle. On cone-bearing branches, the needles angle upward. They are usually between 1.5 and 4 centimeters long and 2 to 2.5 millimeters wide, curving or twisting slightly at the base. Their shape is narrow and flat, with margins that may be straight or slightly curled downward. The upper surface is glossy and dark green or bluish-green, while the underside has two pale white or greenish-white bands. The tips of the needles are usually notched, though those on cone-bearing branches may taper to a sharp point. The undersides have two bands of stomata separated by a green midrib. Resin canals run through the middle of the needles rather than along the edges.

The pollen cones grow along the sides of the branches, measuring 3 to 4.5 centimeters long. They are yellowish with small purple structures that produce pollen. The seed cones also grow laterally, standing upright on short stalks. They are thick and barrel-shaped or cylindrical, with a rounded or slightly indented tip. When young, they are purplish-blue with blue bracts but mature to a deep purplish-brown or dark brown. They measure between 6 and 8 centimeters long. Once the seeds are released, the cone’s central axis remains, forming a thick, tapered, purplish-brown structure.

The cone scales are wedge-shaped and slightly wider toward the tip, measuring about 2 centimeters long and 1.8 centimeters wide in the middle of the cone. Their surface is usually smooth but may be slightly rough, with fine hairs on exposed areas. The upper edges are either smooth or slightly irregular, while the base narrows into a short stalk. The bracts, small leaf-like structures between the cone scales, vary in how much they extend beyond the cone. Some remain hidden inside, while others slightly protrude.

The seeds are about 8 millimeters long and have a glossy brown surface. They are attached to broad, wedge-shaped wings that measure around 10 by 8 millimeters and are light brown in color.

Subordinate Taxa
There exist 4 subordinate taxa for Abies forrestii:

Distribution

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TDWG Codes
3, 36, CHC, CHC-YN, CHT

Habitat
The natural habitats for Abies forrestii var. ferreana are temperate forests. It is naturally found at an elevation of at least 4200 up to 4200 metres. Other conifers associated with Abies forrestii var. ferreana are:

USDA Hardiness zone – 7
Abies forrestii var. ferreana 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 forrestii var. ferreana is unknown. There are ongoing threats for Abies forrestii var. ferreana and they are listed as follows:

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

IUCN Category – EN
According to the IUCN Red List, Abies forrestii var. ferreana has been assigned the status of EN(Endangered). This means that according to the Red List criteria, this species qualifies as Endangered and is very much at risk.

Superordinate Taxa
The nearest superordinate taxon for Abies forrestii is Subsect. Delavayianae. The coordinate taxa for Abies forrestii are therefore:

Abies forrestii var. ferreana is further placed under Abietoideae. Abies forrestii var. ferreana is also placed under Pinaceae.

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