Common Names

Sargent spruce (Farjon 1990); 麦吊云杉 mai diao shan [Chinese].

Taxonomic notes

Syn: Abies brachytyla Franch.; Picea alcockiana Masters; P. ajanensis Masters; P. pachyclada Patschke; P. sargentiana Rehder & Wilson; P. brachytyla var. latisquamea Stapf. Two varieties, P. brachytyla var. complanata (Masters) Cheng ex Rehder (syn: P. complanata Masters) and P. brachytyla var. rhombisquamea Stapf (syn: P. ascendens Patschke) (Farjon 1990).

Description

Range

China: S. Gansu, S Shaanxi, NW Hubei, W Sichuan, NW Yunnan & SE Xizang; N Burma; the Assam Himal in India (Farjon 1990). This species forms a prominent forest belt in moist mountains of SW China at 2600-3100 m (Liu 1971). Across its broad range, it can be found at 1300-3800 m elevation, typically growing in a cold and wet monsoonal climate with annual precipitation of 1000-2500 mm (wetter to the S) on grey-brown mountain podzols. It is commonly found with Abies spp., Picea likiangensis, Tsuga spp. and Larix potaninii (Farjon 1990). In W Sichuan I found it and var. complanata in association with Betula albosinensis, a shrubby bamboo, and many species of Rhododendron.

Big Tree

The largest I have encountered was 60 m tall and 203 cm dbh, a double-butted tree sampled at Hailuogou Glacier Park, Sichuan, China. Diameters exceeding 180 cm are fairly common in this area.

Oldest

The oldest I found, also at Hailuogou Glacier Park, had 606 rings in the measured, crossdated core (collected 1989).

Dendrochronology

I made a collection in April 1989 at Hailuogou Glacier Park in Sichuan. Have full documentation, but no publications.

Ethnobotany

An important timber species within its native range (World Conservation Monitoring Centre - Trees).

Observations

The main trail to the glacier at Hailuogou Glacier Park, Sichuan, China, passes through several impressive stands of this species. The park is served by bus service from Chengdu to Moxi (a two-day ride when I did it in 1989). In Moxi one can acquire guides for the hike into the mountains. It is about a one-day trip to the area of the big trees and another day to the timberline and glacier. Cabins and food service are available within the park.

Remarks

Both the type and var. complanata are listed by the WCMC as vulnerable. It is "a widespread species [that] is experiencing increasing rates of logging and deforestation throughout the species' range. Population declines are not documented but are believed to be considerable" (World Conservation Monitoring Centre - Trees).

See Also