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Note by Terry F. Franklin' Reprinted from FOREST SCIENCE, Volume 10, Number 1, March, 1964 Purchased by the U.S. Forest Service for official use. Color of Immature Cones of Several Pacific Northwest Conifers Note by Terry F. Franklin Abstract. In the Cascade and Coast Ranges carpa") or green cones (variety chlorocai pa") of Oregon and Washington /Thies amabilis, /1. during their lifetime. Picea glauca is also known lasiocarpa, .1. magnifica var. shastensis, .1. pro- to produce either green or reddish-brown im- cera, Picea engelmannii, Pinus monticola, Pseudo- mature cones. tsuga menziesii, and Tsuga mertensiana can pro- Color variation in immature or mature cones duce immature cones either red (or purple) or has not been studied for western conifers but has green in color. Abundance and distribution of incidentally been noted for Pinus ponderosa, the color varies in each species. Variation in P. monticola /Thies concolor", /Thies grandis, 5 and cone coloration on individual trees is related to Tsuga mertensiana.3.5 The species upon which exposure of the cones to sunlight. 2 Crossley, D. 1. Seed maturity in white spruce. Observations throu ghout the Cascade and Coast Can. Dep. Resour. Developm. For. Br. SiIv. Res. Ranges of Oregon and Washington indicate that Note 104. 16 pp. 1953. the immature cones of many conifers are either red (purple) or green, or some intergrade be- 3 Sudworth, G. B. Forest trees of the Pacific tween. For many years European foresters have slope. Forest Serv., U.S. Dept. A gric. 441 pp. recognized two different forms of Picea abies 1908. which hear either red cones (variety "erythro- 4 McMinn, H. E., and E. Maino. An illustrated manual of Pacific Coast trees. Ed. 2. Univ. of 1 Research Forester, Pacific Northwest Forest Calif. Press. 409 pp. 1947. Range Expt. Sta., Forest Service, U.S. Dept. 5 Peattie, D. C. A natural history of western Agric., Portland, Oreg. Manuscript received June trees. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston. 751 pp. 28, 1963. 1953. TABLE 1. Notes on color of immature cones. Species Color Remarks /Thies amabilis Red or green Red form more abundant, green form rare and observed (Pacific silver fir) only in central Oregon Cascade Range. ribies lasiocarpa Purple or green Red form more abundant, green form rare and observed (subalpine fir) only in central Oregon Cascade Range. ilbies magnifica var. Green or red Both forms found in southern Oregon Cascade Range. shastensis (Shasta red fir) /Ibies procera Green or red Green form more abundant, but red form frequent in (noble fir) Oregon and Washington Cascade Range and Oregon Coast Ranges. Picea engelmannii Green or red Green form more abundant, but red form frequent in (Engelmann spruce) Oreg on and Washington Cascade Range. Pinus monticola Green or red Green form more abundant, but red form frequent in (western white pine) Oregon and Washington Cascade Range. Pseudotsuga menziesiti Green or red Green form appears to be more common. (Douglas-fir) Tsuga mertensiana Purple or green Purple form more abundant, green form observed in the (mountain hemlock) Oregon and Washington Cascade Range. 1 Personal communication from Roy R. Silen, Pacific Northwest Forest Range Expt. Sta. Color dimorphism in Douglas-fir was not observed by the author. two color forms have been observed by the Pseudotsuga menziesii, and Tsuga mertensiana author are listed in Table 1, with notes on colors vary in color. Differences in color can sometimes observed and their relative abundance and distri- be detected on mature cones, particularly in the bution. case of mountain hemlock. In Albies species, color variation of immature Expression of red or purple cone coloration on cones is generally expressed on the bracts. Thus, individual trees and between adjacent trees is on 4. amabilis and 4. lasiocarpa, variation can variable. On individual trees, red or purple color- be observed on immature cones for only a short ation is most pronounced on portions of cones time as cone scales soon overgrow bracts. 4. exposed to direct sunlight; however, the capacity procera and 4. magntfica var. shastensis, on the of cones to turn red when exposed to sunlight other hand, have exserted bracts, and color vari- seems inherent. Heavily shaded cones or parts of ation can be observed at later stages in cone de- cones are usually green or very light red. Cones velopment. Coloration of scales on mature cones on adjacent trees often redden to a different of /Mies concolor and .Ibies grandis may vary degree, and there may be a gradation from trees from purplish to yellow green, however.3.4 Cone exhibiting strictly green cones to trees with dark- scales of Picea engelmannii, Pinus monticola, red cones, even within a small area. 1 04 / Forest Science Reprinted from FOREST SCIENCE, Volume 10, Number 1, March, 1964 Purchased by the U.S. Forest Service for official use. Color of Immature Cones of Several Pacific Northwest Conifers Note b y Terry F. Franklin Abstract. In the Cascade and Coast Ranges carpa") or green cones (variety chlorocarpa") of Oregon and Washington 1 bies amabilis, .1. during their lifetime. Picea glauca is also known lasiocarpa, .1. magnifica var. shastensis, .1. pro- to produce either green or reddish-brown im- cera, Picea engelmannii, Picas monticola, Pseudo- mature cones. /saga menziesii, and Tsuga mertensiana can pro- Color variation in immature or mature cones duce immature cones either red (or purple) or has not been studied for western conifers but has green in color. Abundance and distribution of incidentally been noted for Pinus ponderosa,3 the color varies in each species. Variation in P. monticola4 /Mies concolor", /Thies grandis,s and cone coloration on individual trees is related to Tsuga mertensiana." The species upon which exposure of the cones to sunlight. 2 Crossley, D. 1. Seed maturity in white spruce. hout the Cascade and Coast Observations throu g Can. Dep. Resour. Developm. For. Br. Silv. Res. Ranges of Oregon and Washington indicate that Note 104. 16 pp. 1953. the immature cones of many conifers are either red (purple) or green, or some intergrade be- 3 Sudworth, G. B. Forest trees of the Pacific tween. For many years European foresters have slope. Forest Serv., U.S. Dept. Agric. 441 pp. recognized two different forms of Picea abies 1908. which bear either red cones (variety "erythro- 4 McMinn, H. E., and E. Maino. An illustrated manual of Pacific Coast trees. Ed. 2. Univ. of Research Forester, Pacific Northwest Forest Calif. Press. 409 pp. 1947. Range Expt. Sta., Forest Service, U.S. Dept. 5 Peattie, D. C. A natural history of western Agric., Portland, Oreg. Manuscript received June trees. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston. 751 pp. 28, 1963. 1953. TABLE I. Notes on color of immature cones. Species Color Remarks 3bies amabilis Red or green Red form more abundant, green form rare and observed (Pacific silver fir) only in central Oregon Cascade Range. Abies lasiocarpa Purple or green Red form more abundant, green form rare and observed (subalpine fir) only in central Oregon Cascade Range. /Mies magnifica var. Green or red Both forms found in southern Oregon Cascade Range. shastensis (Shasta red fir) 3bies procera Green or red Green form more abundant, but red form frequent in (noble fir) Oregon and Washington Cascade Range and Oregon Coast Ranges. Picea engelmannii Green or red Green form more abundant, but red form frequent in (Engelmann spruce) Oregon and Washington Cascade Range. Pinus monticola Green or red Green form more abundant, but red form frequent in (western white pine) Oregon and Washington Cascade Range. Pseudotsuga menziesill Green or red Green form appears to be more common. (Douglas-fir) Tsuga mertensiana Purple or green Purple form more abundant, green form observed in the (mountain hemlock) Oregon and Washington Cascade Range. I Personal communication from Roy R. Silen, Pacific Northwest Forest Ran ge Expt. Sta. Color dimorphism in Douglas-fir was not observed by the author. two color forms have been observed by the Pseudotsuga menziesii, and Tsuga mertensiana author are listed in Table 1, with notes on colors vary in color. Differences in color can sometimes observed and their relative abundance and distri- be detected on mature cones, particularly in the bution. case of mountain hemlock. In Abies species, color variation of immature Expression of red or purple cone coloration on cones is generally expressed on the bracts. Thus, individual trees and between adjacent trees is on amabilis and .1. lasiocarpa, variation can variable. On individual trees, red or purple color- be observed on immature cones for only a short ation is most pronounced on portions of cones time as cone scales soon overgrow bracts. J. exposed to direct sunlight; however, the capacity procera and magnifica var. shastensis, on the of cones to turn red when exposed to sunlight other hand, have exserted bracts, and color vari- seems inherent. Heavily shaded cones or parts of ation can be observed at later stages in cone de- cones are usually green or very light red. Cones velopment. Coloration of scales on mature cones on adjacent trees often redden to a different of 1-Ibies concolor and Ibies grandis may vary degree, and there may be a gradation from trees from purplish to yellow green, however." Cone exhibiting strictly green cones to trees with dark- scales of Picea engelmannii, Pinus monticola, red cones, even within a small area. 104 / Forest Science Reprinted from FOREST SCIENCE, Volume 10, Number 1, March, 1964 Purchased by the U.S. Forest Service for official use. 4 4. Color of Immature Cones of Several Pacific Northwest Conifers Note by Terry F. Franklin Abstract. In the Cascade and Coast Ranges carpa") or green cones (variety chlorocatpa") of Oregon and Washington 4bies amabilis„1. during their lifetime. Picea glauca is also known lasiocarpa, .1.
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