Abies bracteata

Scientific name: Abies bracteata  D. Don ex Poiteau  1845

Synonyms: Abies venusta (Douglas) K.Koch, Abies venusta Sarg., Picea bracteata (D.Don) Loudon, Pinus bracteata D.Don, Pinus venusta Douglas  

Common names: Bristlecone fir, Santa Lucia fir

Description

Tree to 35(-55) m tall, with trunk to 1.3 m in diameter. Bark grayish brown, breaking up slightly with age. Branchlets hairless, thinly waxy at first, not or weakly grooved. Buds (12-)15-20(-25) mm long, sharp-pointed, not resinous. Needles arranged all around the twigs or mostly to the sides, but rather densely so, (2.5-)3-6 cm long, very stiff, dark green above, the tips sharply pointed. Pollen cones about 3 cm long, yellowish brown. Seed cones egg-shaped, (4.5-)7-10 cm long, 4-6 cm across, reddish green when young, maturing pale purplish brown. Seed body 6-10 mm long, the wing about as long.

Santa Lucia Mountains of coastal Monterey County and northern San Luis Obispo County, California. Scattered among evergreen hardwoods on steep slopes above the redwood forest; (200-)600-900(-1,600) m.

Conservation Status

Red List Category & Criteria: Near Threatened

(Abies bracteata has been assessed as Near Threatened on the basis of its restricted distribution, a decline in the quality of the habitat in areas surrounding existing stands due to the effects of Sudden Oak Death, poor regeneration and poor re-establishment potential. It is also potentially susceptible to indirect effects of climate change. Any further change in its status could lead to a listing as Endangered, under criterion B)

References

Farjon, A. (2010). A Handbook of the World's Conifers. Koninklijke Brill, Leiden.

Eckenwalder, J.E. (2009) Conifers of the World: The Complete Reference. Timber Press, Portland.

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. Cambridge, UK /Gland, Switzerland

Copyright © Aljos Farjon, James E. Eckenwalder, IUCN, Conifers Garden. All rights reserved.

Rootstock:Abies cephalonica