Pinaceae Abies hickelii var. oaxacana (Martínez) Farjon & Silba
Etymology
Abies refers to ‘to rise’; indicating large trees.
hickelii refers to the French botanist R. Hickel.
oaxacana refers to the Mexican State of Oaxaca.
Colloquial Name
Oaxacan fir
Description
These trees can grow up to 30 meters tall, with trunks reaching 1 to 1.3 meters in diameter. The trunk is straight and column-like, often free of branches for a significant portion of its height. The crown is narrowly conical in younger trees but becomes wider and more open with age. The bark is smooth and gray when young, later thickening and breaking into square-like plates as the tree matures.
The main branches spread horizontally, while the smaller secondary branches either spread outward or angle slightly upward. Young twigs are slender and purplish or reddish-brown. They have ridges and grooves between the leaves and may be either smooth or covered with fine hairs in the grooves. The small scars left behind when leaves fall are oval or circular.
The buds, which produce new growth, are round or egg-shaped, about 5 millimeters long and 4 millimeters wide, and covered in sticky resin. The protective bud scales are triangular-ovate, brown, and coated in yellowish resin, remaining on the tree for several years. The needles are arranged in a spiral around the twigs but typically form two lateral rows, spreading outward in a comb-like pattern. They are of similar length, though the upper ones are sometimes shorter. On cone-bearing branches, the upper needles point upward. They range from 1.2 to 3.5 centimeters long and are 1 to 1.8 millimeters wide. The base of each needle is slightly twisted or curved. The upper surface is a shiny light green, while the underside is pale and slightly bluish. The tips are usually notched but can sometimes be rounded. Stomata, the small openings used for gas exchange, are present in two bands on the lower surface, separated by a central ridge, with few or none on the upper surface except near the tip.
The pollen cones grow along the sides of branches and are small and yellow, with red-tipped structures that produce pollen. The seed cones also grow on the sides of branches and stand upright. They have short stalks and are oblong-cylindrical with a blunt tip. When young, they are purple, but as they mature, they turn dark brown. They range from 9 to 12 centimeters long and are about 5 centimeters wide. Once the seeds are released, the central axis of the cone remains, forming a dark brown, cylindrical-conical structure.
The cone scales are wedge-shaped and fan-like, measuring about 1.3 to 1.5 centimeters long and 1.8 to 2 centimeters wide. Their surface is smooth but covered in fine hairs. The upper edge is rounded and unbroken, while the base narrows into a short stalk. The bracts, small structures found between the cone scales, are lance-shaped, about 2 centimeters long, and extend beyond the cone scales in a straight position.
The seeds are wedge-shaped and light brown, measuring 6 to 7 millimeters in length. They are attached to broad, cuneate wings that are about 10 by 8 millimeters and light brown in color, helping them disperse in the wind.
Subordinate Taxa
There exist 2 subordinate taxa for Abies hickelii:
Distribution
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TDWG Codes
7, 79, MXS, MXS-GR, MXS-OA
Habitat
The natural habitats for Abies hickelii var. oaxacana are subtropical/tropical moist montane forests. It is naturally found at an elevation of at least 3000 up to 3000 metres. Other conifers associated with Abies hickelii var. oaxacana are:
USDA Hardiness zone – 8
Abies hickelii var. oaxacana is hardy to USDA Zone 8 (Bannister & Neuner, 2001), meaning its frost tolerance lies somewhere in the range of -12.2C (10F) to -6.7C (20F).
Species Continuity
The population trend for Abies hickelii var. oaxacana is decreasing. There are ongoing threats for Abies hickelii var. oaxacana and they are listed as follows:
IUCN Category – EN
According to the IUCN Red List, Abies hickelii var. oaxacana 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 hickelii is Subsect. Hickelianae. The coordinate taxa for Abies hickelii are therefore:
Abies hickelii var. oaxacana is further placed under Abietoideae. Abies hickelii var. oaxacana 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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