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Scientific name: Abies magnifica var. shastensis J. Lemmon 1890
Synonyms: Abies magnifica subsp. shastensis (Lemmon) Silba, Abies magnifica var. xanthocarpa Lemmon, Abies shastensis (Lemmon) Lemmon, Abies shastensis var. xanthocarpa (Lemmon) Lemmon, Pinus campylocarpa var. shastensis (Lemmon) Voss, Abies x shastensis (Lemmon) Lemmon
Common names: Shasta red fir
Tree to 50(-60) m tall, with trunk to 2.6 m in diameter. Bark grayish when young, soon becoming reddish brown and strongly ridged and furrowed. Branchlets with dense reddish hairs at first, grooved between the leaf bases. Buds 3-5 mm long, not resinous, sparsely hairy. Needles all pointing upward on the twig from an abruptly bent leaf base, 2-3.5 cm long, bluish or grayish green above, the tips rounded on lower branches to pointed on cone-bearing branches. Individual needles flat to very plump in cross section and with a resin canal on either side near the edge just inside the lower epidermis, with 8-13 rows of stomates above and four or five rows in each waxy stomatal band beneath. Pollen cones 15-20 mm long, reddish brown. Seed cones elongate egg-shaped, 10-13 cm long, 5-8 cm across, purple when young, maturing yellowish brown. Bracts bent back over seed scales but not completely covering them. Seed body 12-15 mm long, the wing about as long.
There is broad agreement in the literature that where Abies magnifica meets Abies procera, in northern California and southern Oregon, intermediate forms occur (e.g. Debreczy & Rácz (2011); Farjon (2017); Hunt (1993)). Agreement is lacking, though, as to how these should be treated. Historically these intermediate forms have been, rather too conveniently, assigned to Abies magnifica var. shastensis, characterised as being like Abies procera in having seed cones with exserted bracts, though not to the same extent, but otherwise like Abies magnifica. However, both Farjon (2017) and Debreczy & Rácz (2011) note the presence of Abies magnifica var. shastensis in the southern Sierra Nevada, far to the south of the transition zone with Abies procera. While this supports the varietal status of the Mount Shasta Fir, it somewhat undermines the use of the name to cover hybrid forms, which the Flora of North America suggests ‘should be assigned to Abies magnifica, Abies procera, or Abies magnifica × Abies procera (Abies × shastensis) (E.L. Parker, 1963) depending on the morphologic criteria selected to differentiate the species’ (Hunt 1993).
Northern portion of range in California and Oregon from Mount Lassen northward (including Mount Shasta); 1,350-2,800 m.
Red List Category & Criteria: Least Concern
In parts of northern California, subpopulations of Abies magnifica var. shastensis are more scattered than elsewhere, and have a smaller area of occupancy as a result. Despite this, the population is large, but difficult to quantify in any certain way, as the identity of trees can be problematic where intermediates occur on both ends of the range between this taxon and its putative parent species.
Historically, logging has affected this species, leading to an unknown reduction in area of occupancy in cases where the natural forest was replaced by other forms of land use, including managed or planted forest favouring other conifer species. More recently, forests are either protected from logging or are better managed, allowing regeneration of this species in many areas.
This species is present in a number of protected areas, including famous national parks, scattered throughout its natural range.
Abies magnifica var. shastensis ‘HB’
Copyright © Aljos Farjon, James E. Eckenwalder, IUCN, Conifers Garden. All rights reserved.
