Abies spectabilis

Pinaceae Abies spectabilis (D. Don) Mirb.

Etymology
Abies refers to ‘to rise’; indicating large trees.
spectabilis refers to ‘spectacular’.

Colloquial Name
Web fir, Himalayan fir

Description
These trees grow between 40 and 50 meters tall, with trunks reaching 1.5 to 2.5 meters in diameter. The trunk is straight and cylindrical but can become stunted at the tree line. The crown is broad and pyramid-shaped or columnar, with older trees developing a flat top. Young trees have smooth bark that is light grey or pinkish-grey, but as they age, the bark becomes rough, breaking into plates and developing furrows.

The main branches are thick and long, angling upward near the top of the tree and curving downward lower down. The smaller branches spread outward or angle slightly upward. The leading shoots are thick, while the side shoots are slender and firm, light yellowish-brown at first before turning grey-brown. Their surface is prominently ridged and grooved, with fine brown hairs in the grooves, although the main shoots may lack hairs. Small, circular to oval scars remain where old leaves have fallen.

The buds are large, oval to nearly round, and about 10 mm long and 8 mm wide on the main shoots. They are densely covered in resin. The protective bud scales are triangular, ridged, and have slightly ragged edges. They are brown or reddish-brown and remain on the tree for several years. The leaves grow in a spiral pattern along the branches, forming two distinct rows on either side. The shorter leaves near the top lean forward, leaving part of the shoot exposed, while those on cone-bearing branches all angle slightly upward. The leaves are long and narrow, measuring 2.5 to 6 cm in length and 2.2 to 3.5 mm in width. They are slightly twisted at the base and have a flat surface with slightly curved edges. The upper side is dark glossy green with a continuous groove running along its length, while the underside has two broad white bands separated by a green midrib and edges. The tip is either slightly notched or split in two, though on cone-bearing branches, it is more rounded. Tiny pores called stomata are arranged in two wide bands on the underside.

Pollen cones grow in dense clusters along the branches and hang downward. They are 3 to 4 cm long, yellowish, and have small pollen-producing structures that are purplish-blue. The seed cones grow upright on the branches, almost directly attached, and are broad and cylindrical with a flat top. They range from 10 to 17 cm in length and 4 to 7 cm in width. When young, they are violet-blue, later turning dark grey-blue before ripening to a deep purplish-brown. After releasing seeds, the central stalk remains, forming a narrow, dark bluish-brown structure.

The seed scales are broad and wedge-shaped, thin, and measure 1.5 to 2.5 cm in length and 3 to 3.5 cm in width. Their surface is smooth with slight ridges and fine hairs on the exposed parts. The upper edge is either smooth, wavy, or slightly curved inward, while the base is attached to a short stalk with small ear-like extensions on the sides. The bracts, small leaf-like structures beneath the seed scales, are spoon-shaped with a rounded, finely serrated edge and a small pointed tip. They usually remain hidden inside the cone but may slightly extend outward near the base.

The seeds are wedge-shaped, about 10 mm long and 5 mm wide, and brown in color. Each seed has a narrow, elongated wing, about 12 mm long and 5 mm wide, which is brown-violet and helps it disperse in the wind.

Distribution

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TDWG Codes
3, 34, AFG, 36, CHT, 4, 40, NEP, PAK, WHM, WHM-HP, WHM-JK, WHM-UT

Habitat
The natural habitats for Abies spectabilis are temperate forests. It is naturally found at an elevation of at least 4000 up to 4000 metres. There are no conifers associated with Abies spectabilis that are known of.

USDA Hardiness zone – 7
Abies spectabilis 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 spectabilis is decreasing. There are ongoing threats for Abies spectabilis and they are listed as follows:

• 1 Habitat Loss & Degradation
  • 1.1 Agriculture & Forestry
• 2 Overexploitation & Resource Use
  • 2.1 Logging & Wood Harvesting

IUCN Category – NT
According to the IUCN Red List, Abies spectabilis 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 spectabilis is Subsect. Delavayianae. The coordinate taxa for Abies spectabilis are therefore:

Abies spectabilis is further placed under Abietoideae. Abies spectabilis is also placed under Pinaceae.

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Cultivars
‘Affinis’