Pinaceae Abies Lasiocarpa Subalpine fir

Pinaceae Abies lasiocarpa subalpine fir

Sight ID characteristics • Western mountains, Yukon to Arizona, BC to CA – hybridizes with A. balsamea in northern part of range • Leaves, upswept, stomatiferous above and below • Bracts of seed cone shouldered with long, apiculate tip – shaped like the tree (spire-like)

67 NOTES AND SKETCHES

68 Pinaceae Abies balsamea balsam fir

Sight ID characteristics • Dominant fir of the boreal zone and eastern deciduous zone – hybridizes with A. lasiocarpa in southern part of range • Leaves linear, 3/4 inch long, blunt or notched, shiny dark green above, stomatal bands below, upswept • Cones resinous, 2 to 3 1/2 inches long, green with purple tinge, bracts shorter than the scales

69 NOTES AND SKETCHES

70 Pinaceae Abies fraseri Fraser fir

Sight ID characteristics • Extirpated from majority of range by balsam wooly adelgid. • Leaves linear, 3/4 inch long, blunt or notched, shiny dark green above, stomatal bands below, upswept - generally more dense than the very similar A. balsamea - hybridizes. • Cones resinous, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches long, green to purple, bracts protruding from cone scales

71 NOTES AND SKETCHES

72 Pinaceae Abies grandis grand fir

Sight ID characteristics • Northwest mesic forest disjunct – hybridizes with A. concolor in southern part of range • Periderm red • Leaves 2-ranked, grooved and green above, stomatal bands below, apical notch • Bracts of seed cone with high shoulders and short, apiculate tip – tip and shoulders +/- of the same height

73 NOTES AND SKETCHES

74 Pinaceae Abies concolor concolor fir

Sight ID characteristics • Disjunct in the central/southern Rockies and the Sierra Nevada – hybridizes with A. grandis in northern part of range • Periderm yellow • Leaves upswept, stomatiferous above and below, no groove, no apical notch • Bracts of seed cone with high shoulders and short, apiculate tip – tip and shoulders +/- of the same height

75 NOTES AND SKETCHES

76 Pinaceae Abies amabilis Pacific silver fir

Sight ID characteristics • Leaves +/- 2-ranked but with row of leaves appressed and running along the twig, green above, stomatal bands below • Bracts of seed cone with long apiculate tip and no shoulders

77 NOTES AND SKETCHES

78 Pinaceae Abies procera noble fir

Sight ID characteristics • West-slope Cascades – hybridizes with A. maginifica in southern part of range • Leaves upswept, upper surface grooved, stomatal bands above and below below, shaped like hockey sticks • Bracts of seed cone exserted and reflexed, nearly covering scales completely

79 NOTES AND SKETCHES

80 Pinaceae Abies magnifica California red fir

Sight ID characteristics • Sierra Nevada and extreme southern Cascades – hybridizes with A. procera in northern part of range • Leaves upswept, upper surface NOT grooved, stomatal bands above and below below, shaped like hockey sticks • Bracts of seed cone inserted (or only peeking out)

81 NOTES AND SKETCHES

82 Pinaceae Abies bracteata bristlcone fir, Santa Lucia fir

Sight ID characteristics • endemic to Santa Lucia mountains of central CA • Leaves +/- 2-ranked, green above, stomata below, stiff and sharp-pointed • Buds, ovoid, !”-1” long, pointed • Bracts of seed cones spiny, long-exserted and strongly reflexed with very long bristle

83 NOTES AND SKETCHES

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