Abies delavayi, the Delavay's silver-fir[2] or Delavay's fir, is a species of fir, native to Yunnan in southwest China and adjoining border areas in southeastern Tibet, far northeastern India, northern Myanmar, and far northwestern Vietnam. It is a high altitude mountain tree, growing at elevations of 3,000–4,000 m (exceptionally down to 2,400 m and up to 4,300 m), often occupying the tree line.[3]
It is a small to medium-sized evergreen tree growing to 7–40 m tall, often less at tree line. The shoots are purple-brown to dark red-brown, glabrous or finely pubescent. The leaves are needle-like, 15–30 mm long and 1–2 mm broad, with a distinctive revolute margin. The upper surface of the leaves is glossy dark green with no stomata, the underside vivid snow-white with the stomata densely covered in white wax; this is thought to be an adaptation to exclude very heavy rain in its monsoon climate.[5] The cones are dark purple-blue, 6–12 cm long and 3–4.5 cm broad, with numerous small scales and exserted bracts; they break up when mature at 6–8 months old to release the winged seeds.
Trees at lower elevation (2,400–3,000 m) differ in having the leaf margin less revolute, and are separated as a variety Abies delavayi var. nukiangensis (Cheng & Fu) Farjon.[3]
Plants in southeastern Tibet have been distinguished as Abies delavayi var. motuoensis Cheng & Fu, differing in paler, densely pubescent shoots.[3]
The Vietnamese population, with a disjunct range on Fansipan (at 3,143 m the highest mountain in Vietnam), is distinct in paler red-brown shoots and the cones having shorter bracts (not exserted), and is separated as a subspecies Abies delavayi subsp. fansipanensis (Q.P.Xiang) Rushforth (syn. Abies fansipanensis Q.P.Xiang).[6]
Delavay's fir is occasionally grown as an ornamental tree, but its successful cultivation is limited to regions with cool summers and high rainfall, such as western Scotland and the Pacific coast of Canada. A semi-dwarf form originating at very high altitude has been selected as a cultivar 'Major Neishe', growing to 3–4 m tall.[7]
References
^Xiang, Q.; Rushforth, K.; Carter, G. (2011). "Abies delavayi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2011: e.T42277A10676454. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T42277A10676454.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
Media related to Abies delavayi at Wikimedia Commons
August 24, 2023
abies, delavayi, delavay, silver, delavay, species, native, yunnan, southwest, china, adjoining, border, areas, southeastern, tibet, northeastern, india, northern, myanmar, northwestern, vietnam, high, altitude, mountain, tree, growing, elevations, exceptional. Abies delavayi the Delavay s silver fir 2 or Delavay s fir is a species of fir native to Yunnan in southwest China and adjoining border areas in southeastern Tibet far northeastern India northern Myanmar and far northwestern Vietnam It is a high altitude mountain tree growing at elevations of 3 000 4 000 m exceptionally down to 2 400 m and up to 4 300 m often occupying the tree line 3 Abies delavayiConservation statusLeast Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationKingdom PlantaeClade TracheophytesClade GymnospermsDivision PinophytaClass PinopsidaOrder PinalesFamily PinaceaeGenus AbiesSection Abies sect PseudopiceaSpecies A delavayiBinomial nameAbies delavayiFranch The species is named after its discoverer Father Pierre Jean Marie Delavay who collected it at 3 500 4 000 m on the Cang Mountain near Dali 4 It is a small to medium sized evergreen tree growing to 7 40 m tall often less at tree line The shoots are purple brown to dark red brown glabrous or finely pubescent The leaves are needle like 15 30 mm long and 1 2 mm broad with a distinctive revolute margin The upper surface of the leaves is glossy dark green with no stomata the underside vivid snow white with the stomata densely covered in white wax this is thought to be an adaptation to exclude very heavy rain in its monsoon climate 5 The cones are dark purple blue 6 12 cm long and 3 4 5 cm broad with numerous small scales and exserted bracts they break up when mature at 6 8 months old to release the winged seeds Trees at lower elevation 2 400 3 000 m differ in having the leaf margin less revolute and are separated as a variety Abies delavayi var nukiangensis Cheng amp Fu Farjon 3 Delavay s fir in the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh ScotlandPlants in southeastern Tibet have been distinguished as Abies delavayi var motuoensis Cheng amp Fu differing in paler densely pubescent shoots 3 The Vietnamese population with a disjunct range on Fansipan at 3 143 m the highest mountain in Vietnam is distinct in paler red brown shoots and the cones having shorter bracts not exserted and is separated as a subspecies Abies delavayi subsp fansipanensis Q P Xiang Rushforth syn Abies fansipanensis Q P Xiang 6 Delavay s fir is occasionally grown as an ornamental tree but its successful cultivation is limited to regions with cool summers and high rainfall such as western Scotland and the Pacific coast of Canada A semi dwarf form originating at very high altitude has been selected as a cultivar Major Neishe growing to 3 4 m tall 7 References Edit Xiang Q Rushforth K Carter G 2011 Abies delavayi IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2011 e T42277A10676454 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2011 2 RLTS T42277A10676454 en Retrieved 20 November 2021 BSBI List 2007 xls Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland Archived from the original xls on 2015 06 26 Retrieved 2014 10 17 a b c A Farjon 1990 Pinaceae Drawings and Descriptions of the Genera Koeltz Scientific Books ISBN 3 87429 298 3 Franchet A 1899 Plantarum Sinensium J de Botanique 13 253 260 Rushforth K 1984 Abies delavayi and A fabri Int Dendrol Soc Yearb 1983 118 120 Rushforth K 1999 Taxonomic notes on some Sino Himalayan conifers Int Dendrol Soc Yearb 1998 60 63 K Rushforth 1987 Conifers Christopher Helm ISBN 0 7470 2801 X External links Edit Media related to Abies delavayi at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Abies delavayi amp oldid 1157741895, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
