Picea likiangensis

Likiang spruce (Picea likiangensis )

The Likiang spruce (Picea likiangensis ) is a species of the family (Pinaceae ). It is native to eastern Asia.

Description

The Likiang spruce grows as a evergreen tree that can reach the stature heights of up to 50 meters and diameter at breast height of up to 2.5 meters. The stem ends in a pyramid-shaped crown. The gray to brown gray Stammborke flakes off in irregular-shaped, thick plates. The sparsely hairy bark of the branches is initially pale yellow or brownish yellow and discolored gray to yellow with time.

The resinous, brown winter buds are conical, ovoid or spherical in shape. The straight or slightly curved shaped needles are linear with a length of 0.6 to 1.5 centimeters and a width of 1 to 1.5 millimeters. They have a wide diamond - shaped cross-section and its tip is blunt or pointed. On the needle top, there are four to seven and on the needle base up to four Stomatalinien.

The Likiang spruce is monoecious - getrenntgeschlechtig ( monoecious ) and the flowering season extends from April to May The cones are oblong- ovate shaped with a length from 4 to 12 centimeters and a thickness from 1.7 to 3.5 centimeters to cylindrical- ovate. They are initially stained reddish brown to red to purple and discolored to mature in September or October through brown to dark purple. The seed scales are oval - shaped and diamond are 1.5 to 2.6 inches long and 1 to 1.7 inches wide. Its edge is serrated or wavy. The gray-brown, ovoid seeds are 0.7 to 1.4 inches long, together with the seed wing. The oblong- verkehrteiförmige seed wing is brightly colored pale brown and usually has purple spots on.

Distribution and location

The natural range of Likiang spruce located in Bhutan and China. In China, you can find the species in southern Qinghai, southern, and western Sichuan, eastern Xizang and in northwestern Yunnan.

The Likiang spruce grows at altitudes 2500-4100 meters. It grows mainly in mountains, gorges and river valleys. Mixed stands are formed mostly with fir (Abies ), with Larix potaninii, the Sargent - Spruce ( Picea brachytyla ) and various hemlock ( Tsuga ).

The Likiang spruce and the variety rubescens are classified in the IUCN Red List as "vulnerable". The variety is hirtella listed as " endangered " while the variety montigena is classified due to insufficient data in any risk category. The main hazard timber felling are called. The total population of the species has declined in the last 75 years by about 30 percent. For this reason, the Chinese government has banned the felling of its kind in western China.

Use

The wood of the spruce Likiang place as construction and furniture wood and the production of machinery, masts and paper use. From the bark are tannins, extracted from the trunk of resin and aromatic oils from the needles.

System

Picea likiangensis is within the genre of spruce (Picea ) the subgenus Casicta, the section Sitchenses and serial Likiangenses assigned.

The first description as Abies likiangensis was made in 1899 by Adrien René Franchet in Journal de Botanique ( Morot ), Volume 13 (8 ), page 257 Ernst Georg Pritzel transferred the species in 1900 in Botanical yearbooks for systematics, plant history and geography of plants, Volume 29 ( 2 ), page 217 in the genus Picea.

The species is divided into up to five varieties:

  • Picea likiangensis var hirtella ( Rehder & EH Wilson ) WC Cheng is found in western Sichuan and southeastern Xizang, where it grows at altitudes of 3000 to 4000 meters. She has three to four Stomatalinien on the needle base. The 4 to 9 centimeters long cones are initially green yellow or yellow and discolored to maturity towards pale brown yellow. A synonym is Picea hirtella Rehder & E. H. Wilson.
  • Picea likiangensis var likiangensis is the nominate form. It occurs almost throughout the entire range.
  • Picea likiangensis var linzhiensis W. C. Cheng & L.K. Fu occurs in southwestern Sichuan, southeastern Xizang and the northwestern Yunnan, where it grows at altitudes 2900-3700 meters. The 5 to 10 centimeters in size cones are purple colored nearing maturity pale to reddish brown. It is considered by some authors as distinct species Picea linzhiensis.
  • Picea likiangensis var montigena ( Mast. ) W. C. Cheng is found in western Sichuan, where it grows at altitudes of over 3300 meters. It has one to four Stomatalinien on the needle base. The 4 to 9 centimeters long cones are colored green before ripening. A synonym is Picea montigena mast ..
  • Picea likiangensis var rubescens Rehder & E. H. Wilson is found in southern Qinghai, southern Sichuan and eastern Xizang, where it grows at altitudes 3000-4100 meters. She has three to four Stomatalinien on the needle base. The 4 to 9 centimeters long cones are initially red-brown or black violet and discolored to maturity through brown to black-brown.

Swell

  • Christopher J. Earle: Picea likiangensis. In: The Gymnosperm Database. www.conifers.org, November 23, 2012, accessed on 30 October 2013 ( English).
  • Liguo Fu, Nan Li, Thomas S. Elias & Robert R. Mill: Pinaceae. Picea. In: Wu Zhengyi, Peter H. Raven & Hong Deyuan (eds.): Flora of China. Cycadaceae through Fagaceae. Volume 4, Science Press and Missouri Botanical Garden Press, Beijing and St. Louis in 1999, ISBN 0-915279-70-3, Picea likiangensis, p.29 ( this printed work is the same text online, Picea likiangensis - Online).
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