"This Chinese species cannot be confused with any other Abies species because of the unique bark" (van Gelderen et al. 1986).
Line drawing; for full size image go to the Flora of China (Wu and Raven 1999).
Common Names
Flaky fir (Vidakovic 1991).Taxonomic notes
No synonyms (Farjon 1998). The sole species in Section Squamatae E. Murray.Description
"A tree up to 40 m high. Bark reddish-brown, exfoliating in thin papery layer like that of a birch, even on trees only 6 year of age. Shoots with dense brown hairs. Buds globose, red-brown, very resinous. Needles densely arranged, erect, not pectinate, linear, 1.5-2.5 cm long, rounded or acute apex, bluish green, with 2 white stomata bands on lower surface. Cones oblong-ovate, 5-6 cm long, violet when young; the tips of bract scales protruding past the seed scales, which are 1.5 cm wide" (Vidakovic 1991).See Wu and Raven 1999 for a more current and detailed description.
Range
China: W Sichuan alpine zone at 3500-4000m (Silba 1986, Vidakovic 1991); also S Qinghai; E Tibet (Farjon 1998).Big Tree
Oldest
Dendrochronology
Ethnobotany
Observations
Remarks
See Also
Farjon (1990) provides a detailed account, with illustrations.
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This page is from the Gymnosperm Database
URL: http://www.conifers.org/pi/ab/squamata.htm
Edited by Christopher J. Earle
Last modified on 2007.11.15