Abies lasiocarpa var. lasiocarpa

Pinaceae Abies lasiocarpa var. lasiocarpa (Hook.) Nutt.

Etymology
Abies refers to ‘to rise’; indicating large trees.
lasiocarpa refers to ‘woolly fruits’; indicating its seed cones are pubescent.

Colloquial Name
Subalpine fir, alpine fir

Description
These trees grow between 30 and 35 meters tall, with a trunk diameter of up to 1.2 meters. The trunk is straight, cylindrical, and supports a narrow, conical crown that forms a graceful spire. Young trees have smooth, thin bark with horizontal resin blisters, giving it a white or gray appearance. As the tree ages, the bark becomes relatively thin even on large trunks, with a gray-brown color and fissures near the base.

The branches are very dense and extend down close to the ground. The main branches are short and spread horizontally, with the lower ones hanging downward before curving back up at the tips. Smaller branches spread outward. The twigs are slender but flexible and very strong, starting out pale brown before turning gray. They have noticeable ridges and grooves and are covered with short brown hairs. The scars left by fallen leaves are circular.

The buds that produce new growth are small, rounded, and coated in sticky resin. They measure 3.5 to 6 millimeters long and 3 to 5 millimeters wide. Their protective scales are brown, rounded at the tip, and remain on the tree for several years. The needles are arranged in a spiral around the branches. The longest ones grow lower on the branch in a comb-like pattern, while others spread outward in all directions. The uppermost needles curve forward and upward, especially on branches that produce cones. They range from 2.5 to 4.5 centimeters long and 1.5 to 2 millimeters wide. The base is slightly twisted, and the shape is long and narrow, sometimes curved or bent near the base. The upper surface is a dull bluish-green with a shallow groove running along its length, while the underside has two white bands. The needle tips can be rounded, slightly notched, or pointed. Stomata, which control gas exchange, form several rows within the upper groove and two broad bands separated by a strong midrib on the underside.

Pollen cones grow along the branches, usually in crowded clusters. They are small, hanging downward, and measure 1.5 to 2 centimeters long. They are yellow, with tiny purplish-blue structures that produce pollen. Seed cones grow upright on short stalks or directly attached to the branches. They are oblong and cylindrical, measuring 7 to 10 centimeters long and 2.5 to 3.5 centimeters wide, with a rounded tip. When young, they are purple or purplish-green and covered with fine grayish hairs. As they mature, they turn purplish-brown or brown with a yellowish fuzz. Once the seeds are released, the central axis of the cone remains on the tree as a narrow, dark brown structure.

The cone scales, which protect the seeds, are wedge-shaped and measure 1.5 to 2.5 centimeters in length and 1.3 to 2.3 centimeters in width. Their surface is smooth but covered in thick yellowish-brown hairs. The upper edges curve inward, while the base is attached by a small stalk. The bracts, which are tiny structures between the cone scales, are oblong with a small pointed tip, measuring 0.6 to 1 centimeter long. They remain hidden within the cone.

The seeds are wedge-shaped, 5 to 6 millimeters long, and brown. Each seed has a long, narrow wing that helps with wind dispersal. These seed wings are also wedge-shaped, measuring 10 to 18 millimeters long, light brown, and slightly tinged with purple.

Subordinate Taxa
There exist 2 subordinate taxa for Abies lasiocarpa:

Distribution

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TDWG Codes
7, 70, ASK, NWT, NWT-MK, YUK, 71, ABT, BRC, 73, COL, IDA, MNT, ORE, WAS, WYO, 76, CAL, NEV, UTA, 77, NWM

Habitat
The natural habitats for Abies lasiocarpa var. lasiocarpa are temperate forests. It is naturally found at an elevation of at least 3700 up to 3700 metres. Other conifers associated with Abies lasiocarpa var. lasiocarpa are:

USDA Hardiness zone – 5
Abies lasiocarpa var. lasiocarpa 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 lasiocarpa var. lasiocarpa is unknown. There are no known threats for Abies lasiocarpa var. lasiocarpa.

IUCN Category – LC
According to the IUCN Red List, Abies lasiocarpa var. lasiocarpa 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 lasiocarpa is Subsect. Laterales. The coordinate taxa for Abies lasiocarpa are therefore:

Abies lasiocarpa var. lasiocarpa is further placed under Abietoideae. Abies lasiocarpa var. lasiocarpa 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.