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Scientific name: Abies spectabilis (D.Don) Mirbel 1825
Synonyms: Abies brevifolia (A.Henry) Dallim., Abies chilrowensis Parl., Abies spectabilis (D. Don) Spach, Abies spectabilis subsp. langtangensis (Silba) Silba, Abies spectabilis var. brevifolia (A.Henry) Rehder, Abies spectabilis var. langtangensis Silba, Abies webbiana (Wall. ex D.Don) Lindl., Abies webbiana var. brevifolia A.Henry, Picea naphta Knight, Picea webbiana (Wall. ex D.Don) Loudon, Pinus spectabilis D.Don, Pinus striata Buch.-Ham. ex Gord., Pinus tinctoria Wall. ex D.Don, Pinus webbiana Wall. ex D.Don
Common names: Webb fir, Himalayan fir, East Himalayan fir, Himalayan silver fir (English), Badar (Kashmiri), Gobrasalla (Nepalese), Bang, Chilrao (Hindi)
Tree to 40(-60) m tall, with trunk to 2(-3) m in diameter, but often much smaller at high elevations. Bark silvery gray, darkening and becoming ridged and furrowed with age. Young branchlets densely dark-hairy in the deep grooves between the leaf bases but soon shedding the hairs. Buds 4.5-6(-10) mm long, covered with brownish resin. Needles arranged in several rows straight out to the sides and others forward above the twigs, the different rows of different lengths, 1.5-4(-6.5) cm long, shiny deep green above, the tips generally strongly notched to forked. Individual needles flat in cross section and with a resin canal on either side near the edge, touching the lower epidermis, without stomates above and with 7-15 lines of stomates in each silvery white stomatal band beneath. Pollen cones barrel-shaped, 7-15(-20) cm long, 4-7 cm across, dark violet when young, maturing purplish brown. Bracts half as long as the seed sales and hidden by them. Persistent cone axis narrowly conical. Seed body 9-11 mm long, the wing about as long. Cotyledons four to six. Cotyledons four to six.
Webb fir (from an older scientific name for the species - Abies webbiana; It is named for Philip Barker-Webb (1793 - 1854), a English botanist) replaces Pindrow fir (Abies pindrow) at higher elevations. It is often stunted in exposed sites at high elevations and, even when grown well, has a broad, flat-topped crown unusual among silver firs (explaining the scientific name, „remarkable”).
Western Himalaya from northeastern Afghanistan to Nepal and adjacent China in Xizang (Tibet). Forming pure stands or mixed with other conifers, including pindrow fir (Abies pindrow), and hardwoods in the subalpine forest; (1,600-)2,450-3,800(-4,000) m.
Red List Category & Criteria: Near Threatened
Abies spectabilis as a wide distribution from East Nepal into eastern Afghanistan and is usually the dominant tree in the stands but may occur with other conifers or broad-leafed trees. The forest has suffered severe depletion, especially at the lower elevations, from logging and deforestation. A population decline of approximately 25% over the past three generation has occurred. This tree is therefore listed as Near Threatened approaching Vulnerable.
Abies spectabilis is the dominant tree in the forests of the central and western Himalaya, especially from c. 3,000 m to 4,000 m, with occasional occurrences on ridges below this height. It needs cool moist conditions at the roots, thus growing better on north facing slopes and often giving way to grass or shrubs on south facing ones.
The species has a wide distribution from East Nepal into eastern Afghanistan. It occurs along the southern side of the Himalaya and outlying ridges, forming forests at higher elevation. Abies spectabilis is usually the dominant tree in the stands but may occur with other conifers or broadleafed trees such as Betula and Acer in parts of the range.
Abies spectabilis provides a useful timber which is available in large sizes. The forest has suffered severe depletion, especially at the lower elevations, from logging and deforestation. The species is reported to have been lost from the easternmost occurrence in East Nepal in the past 20 years. Deforestation and conversion of land to agriculture is the largest threat, but logging, if followed either by fire or grazing can also lead to the loss of habitat for the species.
It is included in some nature reserves in Nepal and India.
Copyright © Aljos Farjon, James E. Eckenwalder, IUCN, Conifers Garden. All rights reserved.
