Abies sibirica
Siberian fir ( Abies sibirica )
The Siberian fir ( Abies sibirica ) is a medium sized coniferous tree of the genus fir in the family Pinaceae. Its distribution area is located in Russia, North and Central Asia and Mongolia, a subspecies found in Kyrgyzstan. It is classified as endangered.
Description
The Siberian pine is a 35 to 40 meter high tree with a diameter at breast height of up to 1 meter. It has a smooth, gray or gray-brown bark with numerous resin bumps, which breaks only in older trees in plates. The gray to gray- brown twigs are hairy thin white. The buds are small, hemispherical and strongly resinous. The needles on top of the branches are close, and are directed to the front. On the affiliate side, they are longer and be horizontal. The needles are 1.5 to 3.5 inches long and 1 to 1.3 millimeters wide. They are rounded or bicuspid and have two resin canals. The top surface is ridged and is two to three short gap opening strip at the top. On the bottom are two gray stomatal bands. The cones are cylindrical and 5 to 9.5 centimeters long and 2.5 to 3.5 inches wide. They are initially bluish and brown when ripe. The scales are broadly wedge -shaped, the bracts are hidden. The seeds are about 7 millimeters long and have a wedge-shaped, 0.7 to 1.3 millimeters long wings. Pollination is in May, the cones ripen from October to November.
Distribution and ecology
The natural range of the Siberian fir extends from Russia to North and Central Asia and Mongolia. Where it grows in cool moist forests on well drained, moist to wet, acidic to neutral, sandy- gravelly - rich, nutrient-rich soils in full sun to light shade locations. It is usually frost hardy but avoids calcareous soils. It is found from about sea level to altitudes of 2000 meters, the subspecies semenovii until 2850 meters. There are pure stands but they are found mostly along with other conifers, such as the Siberian Spruce ( Picea obovata ), the Dahurischen larch (Larix gmelinii ), at higher altitudes with the Siberian larch (Larix sibirica ) and Siberian stone pine (Pinus sibirica ). They are also found along with the silver birch (Betula pendula), the aspen (Populus tremula ), Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia ) and the ordinary (Viburnum opulus ), in the southwestern part of the range with the small-leaved lime (Tilia cordata), the Wych Elm (Ulmus scabra ) and the Norway maple (Acer platanoides ).
In the IUCN Red List both subspecies of the Siberian fir as not at risk ( " Lower Risk / least concern " ) are performed.
Systematics and history of research
The Siberian fir ( Abies sibirica ) is a species of the genus fir (Abies ) in the pine family ( Pinaceae ). It is assigned to the section Balsamea. It was first described by the German botanist Carl Friedrich von Ledebour 1833 in the 4th volume of his Flora Altaica. Synonyms are Pinus sibirica ( Ledeb. ) Turcz. non Du Tour, Abies pichta J. Forbes and Picea pichta (J. Forbes) Loudon.
There are two recognized subspecies: Abies sibirica subsp. sibirica and Abies sibirica subsp. semenovii (B. Fedchenko ) Farjon (synonym Abies semenovii B. Fedchenko ). Abies sibirica subsp. semenovii differs by sharply ridged branches, narrower channels resin, yellowish - brown seed cones and broader bracts. Its distribution area is located in Kyrgyzstan, where it grows at altitudes from 1300 to 2850 meters.
The Siberian pine is in China with the East Siberian fir ( Abies nephrolepis ) the natural hybrid Abies × sibirico - nephrolepis Takenouchi et Chien.
Use
The wood of the Siberian fir is used for the production of lumber, furniture and wood pulp.