Abies mariesii

Pinaceae Abies mariesii Mast.

Etymology
Abies refers to ‘to rise’; indicating large trees.
mariesii refers to the plant collector C. Maries.

Colloquial Name
Maries’ fir

Description
These trees grow between 25 and 30 meters tall, with straight, column-like trunks that can reach up to a meter in diameter. The crown is broad and pyramidal when young but flattens out in older trees. The bark starts off smooth and pale grey, almost white, but as the tree ages, it becomes rougher and darker, with the base developing a scaly texture.

The first-order branches are long and spread widely before curving downward into a drooping shape. The second-order branches extend outward in a dense, horizontal pattern. The branchlets are firm, slender, and light brown, with noticeable ridges and grooves between the leaves. When young, they are covered in fine brown hairs, but over time, they become smooth and turn a light grey color. The leaf scars are circular.

The buds are small and round, measuring 2–3 mm long, and are covered by small leaves at the tips of the branches. They are coated in sticky resin, and their brown, fringed bud scales remain on the tree for two to three years. The leaves are arranged in a spiral along the branches. The lower leaves are comb-like and spread out, while the upper ones curve inward and forward, growing shorter and covering the shoots. On cone-bearing branches, they stand almost upright. They range from 1 to 2.5 cm in length and 1.6 to 2.5 mm in width, being widest near the tip. The base is strongly twisted and narrowed. The leaves are long and narrow, with the upper ones being more strap-like and curved. They are flattened with a shallow groove on the upper surface, and their edges curl slightly downward. The tips are notched, though on cone-bearing branches, they may be more rounded. The upper surface is glossy and dark green, while the underside has two white bands separated by a green midrib. Stomata are only present on the lower surface, arranged in two bands.

The pollen cones grow along the sides of the branches, hanging downward from small pockets at the base of the leaves. They are 1.5–2 cm long and yellowish in color. The seed cones are also positioned along the branches, either sitting on short stalks or directly attached. They are oval and elongated, with a blunt tip, and grow between 4 and 9 cm long and 2 to 4.5 cm wide. When young, they are violet-blue, later darkening to a deep blackish-purple when fully ripe, while the inside turns brown. After the cone scales fall away, the central axis remains on the branch as a narrow, blackish-brown spire.

The seed scales are shaped like a shallow cup with a fan-like upper edge, measuring 1.5–2.2 cm in length and 2–2.5 cm in width at the middle of the cone. Their surface is smooth, with fine hairs on the exposed parts. The upper margin is unbroken and curves inward, while the base is stalk-like. The bracts, which sit behind the seed scales, are obovate or heart-shaped, about 1–1.5 cm long, and remain hidden within the cone.

The seeds are conical and oval, measuring between 5 and 7 mm long, and are light brown in color. They have wedge-shaped wings that are 10–12 mm long and 8 mm wide, with a pale brown color and a slight purplish tint.

Distribution

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TDWG Codes
3, 38, JAP, JAP-HN

Habitat
The natural habitats for Abies mariesii are temperate forests. It is naturally found at an elevation of at least 2800 up to 2800 metres. Other conifers associated with Abies mariesii are:

USDA Hardiness zone – 6
Abies mariesii is hardy to USDA Zone 6 (Bannister & Neuner, 2001), meaning its frost tolerance lies somewhere in the range of -23.3C (-10F) to -17.8C (0F).

Species Continuity
The population trend for Abies mariesii is stable. There are no known threats for Abies mariesii.

IUCN Category – LC
According to the IUCN Red List, Abies mariesii 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 mariesii is Sect. Amabilis. The coordinate taxa for Abies mariesii are therefore:

Abies mariesii is further placed under Abietoideae. Abies mariesii 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.