Abies lasiocarpa
Abies lasiocarpa | |
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Specimen in North Cascades National Park | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Gymnospermae |
Division: | Pinophyta |
Class: | Pinopsida |
Order: | Pinales |
Family: | Pinaceae |
Genus: | Abies |
Species: | A. lasiocarpa
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Binomial name | |
Abies lasiocarpa | |
Natural range |
Abies lasiocarpa, the subalpine fir or Rocky Mountain fir, is a western North American fir tree.
Description
Abies lasiocarpa is a medium-sized
Taxonomy
There are two or three taxa in subalpine fir, treated very differently by different authors:
- The Coast Range subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa)[2] in the narrow sense, is the typical form of the species, occurring in the Pacific Coast Ranges, the Olympic Mountains and the Cascade Range from Southeast Alaska (Panhandle mountains) south to California.
- The Rocky Mountains subalpine fir is very closely related and of disputed status, being variously treated as a distinct species Abies bifolia,[2] as a variety of Coast Range subalpine fir Abies lasiocarpa var. bifolia, or not distinguished from typical A. lasiocarpa at all. It occurs in the Rocky Mountains from Southeast Alaska (eastern Alaska Range) south to Colorado. It differs primarily in the chemical composition of its resin, microscopic features,[2] and in the fresh leaf scars being yellow-brown, not reddish. The Flora of North America treats it as a distinct species, while the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) includes it within A. lasiocarpa without distinction.
- The corkbark fir Abies lasiocarpa var. arizonica occurs in Arizona and New Mexico.[2] It differs in thicker, corky bark and more strongly glaucous foliage. In resin composition it is closer to A. bifolia than to typical A. lasiocarpa, though the combination "Abies bifolia var. arizonica" has not been formally published. The Flora of North America includes it within A. bifolia without distinction; the USDA treats it as a distinct variety of A. lasiocarpa.
Distribution
The species is native to the mountains of Yukon, British Columbia and western Alberta in Western Canada; and to Southeast Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Western Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, northeastern Nevada, and the Trinity Alps of the Klamath Mountains in northwestern California in the Western United States.[2]
It occurs at high altitudes, commonly found at and immediately below the tree line. It can be found at elevations of 300–900 m (980–2,950 ft) in the north of the range (rarely down to sea level in the far north), to 2,400–3,650 m (7,870–11,980 ft) in the south of the range. West of the Cascade ridge, it can be found at elevations of 1,200–2,000 m (3,900–6,600 ft), while further east (particularly in Western Montana) it can be found from 1,500 to 2,700 m (4,900 to 8,900 ft).[2]
Ecology
Annual precipitation ranges from 380 cm (150 in) in coastal mountain sites to only 65 cm (26 in) inland.[2] Snow gathered on the branches helps protect them from wind and heat.[2] Firs in general act as a snow fence, leading to the creation of meadows through extra moisture accumulation.[2]
The tree is highly
Various animals, including mountain goats, take shelter in subalpine fir clusters and krummholz.
Uses
Native Americans used the leaves as deodorant and burned them as incense or medicinal vapor.[2] Powdered bark and other components were used in solutions to treat colds.[2] Resin was used to dress wounds or chewed as gum.[2] The tree boughs were used for bedding.[2] Some Plateau Indian tribes drank or washed in a subalpine fir boil for purification or to make their hair grow.[6]
The light wood is considered poor quality, but sometimes used for wood pulp,
The largest-known specimen, measuring 2.1 m (6 ft 11 in) thick and 39 m (129 ft) tall, had a small door in its trunk and a storage space, which the film crew of the
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Specimen in Olympic National Park in mid-September
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Specimen in Mount Rainier National Park in late September
References
- . Retrieved 11 November 2021.
- ^ OCLC 1141235469.
- Bonanza Books. p. 192.
- ISBN 0-394-73127-1.
- ^ Merrill, W.; Wenner, N. G.; Kelley, R. (2007). "Delphinella balsameae Tip Blight of Abies lasiocarpa in Vermont". Plant disease. 81 (2): 229.
- ISBN 0-295-97119-3.
- ^ "Abies lasiocarpa var. amazonica 'Compacta'". www.rhs.org. Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
- ^ "AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). www.rhs.org. Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 1. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
External links
- Farjon, A. (2013). "Abies lasiocarpa". . Retrieved 11 November 2021.
- Alexander, Robert R.; Shearer, Raymond C.; Shepperd, Wayne D. (1990). "Abies lasiocarpa". In Burns, Russell M.; Honkala, Barbara H. (eds.). Conifers. Silvics of North America. Vol. 1. Washington, D.C.: United States Forest Service (USFS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) – via Southern Research Station.
- Gymnosperm Database: Abies lasiocarpa
- Flora of North America: Abies lasiocarpa
- Flora of North America: Abies bifolia
- Interactive Distribution Map of Abies lasiocarpa