Misidentified Abies at UBC Botanical Garden

These trees were received as Abies fargesii from Shanghai Botanical Garden in 1979 (UBC Accession #20777-0402-1979).

However, they do not key out to Abies fargesii (and as far as we are able to determine, do not key out precisely to a species using the Flora of China treatment of Abies). We are currently entertaining the possibility that they are hybrids.

Features of the plant that eliminate Abies fargesii as a possibility:

1. Lack of pubescence on the branchlets
2. Needle length to 5 (or more) cm


Please see the attached images. All images have been reduced to 30% (or more) of original size. All photos taken on June 4, 2003.

Attachments (from left to right):

Needle tip and last year's branchlet
Branchlet from this year
Needle pattern on branchlet
Cones from 2nd tree
Tree habit
Trunk from 1st tree
Branchlets and cones from 1st tree
Cones from 1st tree

 

This plant has been identified as Abies chensiensis.

 

Hi Daniel

I had a client in Chilliwack that brought in Abies Fargsii about the same time and it turned out that they to were in fact chensienis. So I find it rather interesting.

Regards Doug