Abies fanjingshanensis - Fanjingshan fir description

Scientific name: Abies fanjingshanensis  W.L.Huang , Y.L.Tu & S.Z.Fang  1984

Synonyms: Abies fargesii var. fanjingshanensis (W.L. Huang) Silba

Common names: Fanjingshan fir, Fanjing Mountain fir, Fanjingshan blue fir, Guizhou fir, Fanjingshan lengshan (Chinese)

Description

Tree to 15-22 m tall, with trunk to 0.5-0.8 m in diameter. Crown (narrowly) pyramidal or oblong cylindrical. Bark of young trees grey, smooth, becoming dark grey or greyish brown, scaly and fissured on lower part of trunk. Branches of first order large, massive, spreading horizontally; branches of second order spreading or ascending. Branchlets stout, firm, light or dark reddish brown, in 2-3 years becoming dark brown, ridged and grooved, glabrous or with pubescence in the grooves; leaf scars circular. Vegetative buds ovoid-globular ovate, reddish brown, persisting several years. Leaves spirally arranged, crowded, the lower more or less pectinate, in two lateral rows, the other more radially spreading or assurgent and directed obliquely forward, often recurved near shoot apex, 1-4.5 cm long (but mostly less than 2.5 cm), 2-3 mm wide, twisted or curved at base, linear, or the shorter leaves ligulate linear, flattened, longitudinally grooved and light green above, two whitish bands below. Stomata in two bands separated by a narrow midrib below. Pollen cones lateral, axillary, crowded, oblong, 1-1.5 cm long, yellow, with red microsporophylls. Seed cones lateral, erect; peduncles 0.8-1 cm; oval cylindric or barrel shaped, with truncate or umbilicate apex 5-6(-7) cm long, 3.5-4 cm wide, bluish purple when immature, maturing to dark purplish brown, becoming dark brown when ripe; cone rachis persistent, fusiform, blackish brown. Seeds ovoid-conical, slightly flattened, length x width 6-8 x 4-6 mm, light brown or reddish brown.

A relict species occurring only in inaccessible areas on Fanjing Shan Mountain, near Jiangkou in NE Guizhou, China; 2,100-2,300 m. The climate on this mountain is cool and moist, with only a short summer season at this altitude.

Conservation Status

Red List Category & Criteria: Endangered

Varieties: -

Attribution from: Conifers Garden