Abies religiosa, the oyamel fir or sacred fir,[4] (known as oyamel in Spanish) is a fir native to the mountains of central and southern Mexico (Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, Sierra Madre del Sur) and western Guatemala. It grows at high elevations of 2,100–4,100 metres (6,900–13,500 ft) in cloud forests with cool, humid summers and dry winters in most of its habitat regime. In the state of Veracruz, it grows with precipitation all year long. The tree is resistant to regular winter snowfalls.
The Spanish name oyamel comes from the Nahuatl word oyametl (oya, "to thresh"; metl, "agave"; literally "threshing agave"). It is also called árbol de Navidad (Christmas tree) in Mexico. The English name derives from the binomialAbies religiosa, literally "religious fir". This comes from the use of its cut foliage in religious festivals (notably at Christmas) and in churches in Mexico.[5]
Descriptionedit
Abies religiosa is a medium-sized to large evergreenconiferoustree growing to 25–50 m (82–164 ft) tall with a trunk diameter of up to 2 metres (6.6 ft). The leaves are needle-like, flattened, 1.5–3.5 cm (0.59–1.38 in) long and 1.5 mm (0.059 in) wide by 0.5 mm (0.020 in) thick, dark green above, and with two blue-white bands of stomata below; the leaf apex is acute. The leaf arrangement is spiral on the shoot, but with each leaf variably twisted at the base so they lie flat to either side of and above the shoot, with none below the shoot. The shoots are reddish-brown, hairless or with scattered pubescence.
The cones are 8–16 cm (3.1–6.3 in) long and 4–6 cm (1.6–2.4 in) broad, dark blue-purple before maturity; the scale bracts are purple or greenish, of moderate length, with the tips exposed in the closed cone. The winged seeds are released when the cones disintegrate at maturity about 7–9 months after pollination. Trees from the western end of the range on Nevado de Colima, Jalisco have cones with larger, reflexed bract scales (similar to noble fir cones); these are sometimes treated as a separate species, Abies colimensis.
A 2012 paper by Cuauhtemoc Saenz-Romero among others, published in Forest Ecology and Management found that "the area suitable for the oyamel is likely to diminish by 96 percent by 2090, and disappear completely within the [Monarch Butterfly Biosphere] reserve."[7][8]
Galleryedit
Detail of leaves and male cones
Chincua sanctuary, the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve
El Rosario sanctuary, the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve
^Farjon, A. (2013). "Abies religiosa". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2013: e.T39592A2929657. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T39592A2929657.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
^Timbers of the New World. Arno Press. 1943. p. 13. ISBN9780405028069. The specific epithet (religiosa) refers to the common use of the evergreen branches for decorations in churches.
^"Oyamel (Abies religiosa)" (PDF). CONABIO. Retrieved 2016-08-30.[permanent dead link]
^Linthicum, Kate (April 13, 2019). "Mexican scientists move forest to save butterflies". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
^René I. Alfaroa; Bruno Fady; Giovanni Giuseppe Vendramin; Ian K. Dawson; Richard A. Fleming; Cuauhtémoc Sáenz-Romero; Roberto A. Lindig-Cisneros; Trevor Murdock; Barbara Vinceti; Carlos Manuel Navarro; Tore Skrøppa; Giulia Baldinelli; Yousry A. El-Kassaby; Judy Loo (1 December 2014). "The role of forest genetic resources in responding to biotic and abiotic factors in the context of anthropogenic climate change". Forest Ecology and Management. 333: 76–87. doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2014.04.006.
Liu, T. S. (11 November 1971). A Monograph of the genus Abies. National Taiwan University.
April 16, 2024
abies, religiosa, oyamel, sacred, known, oyamel, spanish, native, mountains, central, southern, mexico, trans, mexican, volcanic, belt, sierra, madre, western, guatemala, grows, high, elevations, metres, cloud, forests, with, cool, humid, summers, winters, mos. Abies religiosa the oyamel fir or sacred fir 4 known as oyamel in Spanish is a fir native to the mountains of central and southern Mexico Trans Mexican Volcanic Belt Sierra Madre del Sur and western Guatemala It grows at high elevations of 2 100 4 100 metres 6 900 13 500 ft in cloud forests with cool humid summers and dry winters in most of its habitat regime In the state of Veracruz it grows with precipitation all year long The tree is resistant to regular winter snowfalls Abies religiosaSacred fir forest at El Chico National Park in Hidalgo MexicoConservation statusLeast Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationKingdom PlantaeClade TracheophytesClade GymnospermaeDivision PinophytaClass PinopsidaOrder PinalesFamily PinaceaeGenus AbiesSpecies A religiosaBinomial nameAbies religiosa Kunth Schltdl amp Cham 2 Synonyms 3 Abies colimensis Rushforth amp Narave F H Abies glauca Roezl ex Gordon Abies glaucescens Roezl Abies hirtella Kunth Lindl Abies religiosa subsp colimensis Rushforth amp Narave Silba Abies religiosa var colimensis Rushforth amp Narave Silba Abies religiosa subsp glaucescens Roezl Silba Abies religiosa var glaucescens Carriere Abies religiosa var hirtella Kunth Carriere Abies religiosa var lindleyana Carriere Abies religiosa subsp perotensis Silba Silba Abies religiosa var perotensis Silba Abies tlapalcatuda Roezl Picea glaucescens Roezl Gordon Picea hirtella Kunth Loudon Picea religiosa Kunth Loudon Pinus hirtella Kunth Pinus religiosa Kunth Pinus religiosa var minor Parl Contents 1 Names 2 Description 3 Significance 4 Gallery 5 ReferencesNames editThe Spanish name oyamel comes from the Nahuatl word oyametl oya to thresh metl agave literally threshing agave It is also called arbol de Navidad Christmas tree in Mexico The English name derives from the binomial Abies religiosa literally religious fir This comes from the use of its cut foliage in religious festivals notably at Christmas and in churches in Mexico 5 Description editAbies religiosa is a medium sized to large evergreen coniferous tree growing to 25 50 m 82 164 ft tall with a trunk diameter of up to 2 metres 6 6 ft The leaves are needle like flattened 1 5 3 5 cm 0 59 1 38 in long and 1 5 mm 0 059 in wide by 0 5 mm 0 020 in thick dark green above and with two blue white bands of stomata below the leaf apex is acute The leaf arrangement is spiral on the shoot but with each leaf variably twisted at the base so they lie flat to either side of and above the shoot with none below the shoot The shoots are reddish brown hairless or with scattered pubescence The cones are 8 16 cm 3 1 6 3 in long and 4 6 cm 1 6 2 4 in broad dark blue purple before maturity the scale bracts are purple or greenish of moderate length with the tips exposed in the closed cone The winged seeds are released when the cones disintegrate at maturity about 7 9 months after pollination Trees from the western end of the range on Nevado de Colima Jalisco have cones with larger reflexed bract scales similar to noble fir cones these are sometimes treated as a separate species Abies colimensis Significance editThe sacred fir is the preferred tree for the monarch butterfly Danaus plexippus to reside in colonies during its hibernation in the forests of the Trans Mexican Volcanic Belt Although monarch butterflies are known in other parts of the southern Mexican highlands as some specimens do not migrate the bulk of them gather in a few protected fir forests in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve near the towns of Angangueo Michoacan and Avandaro State of Mexico from December to March The wood of the sacred fir is rather soft and thus not very suited for woodworking Nonetheless its distribution is decreasing because of logging for fuel and other human related disturbances 6 A 2012 paper by Cuauhtemoc Saenz Romero among others published in Forest Ecology and Management found that the area suitable for the oyamel is likely to diminish by 96 percent by 2090 and disappear completely within the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere reserve 7 8 Gallery edit nbsp Detail of leaves and male cones nbsp Chincua sanctuary the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve nbsp El Rosario sanctuary the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve nbsp In the Sierra Norte Oaxaca nbsp Firs and zacatonal plant community on the trail of La Malinche Tlaxcala nbsp Piedra Herrada butterfly sanctuary MexicoReferences edit Farjon A 2013 Abies religiosa IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013 e T39592A2929657 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2013 1 RLTS T39592A2929657 en Retrieved 19 November 2021 Abies religiosa Germplasm Resources Information Network Agricultural Research Service United States Department of Agriculture Retrieved 2009 10 22 The Plant List Abies religiosa at the Encyclopedia of Life nbsp Timbers of the New World Arno Press 1943 p 13 ISBN 9780405028069 The specific epithet religiosa refers to the common use of the evergreen branches for decorations in churches Oyamel Abies religiosa PDF CONABIO Retrieved 2016 08 30 permanent dead link Linthicum Kate April 13 2019 Mexican scientists move forest to save butterflies Los Angeles Times Retrieved January 5 2020 Rene I Alfaroa Bruno Fady Giovanni Giuseppe Vendramin Ian K Dawson Richard A Fleming Cuauhtemoc Saenz Romero Roberto A Lindig Cisneros Trevor Murdock Barbara Vinceti Carlos Manuel Navarro Tore Skroppa Giulia Baldinelli Yousry A El Kassaby Judy Loo 1 December 2014 The role of forest genetic resources in responding to biotic and abiotic factors in the context of anthropogenic climate change Forest Ecology and Management 333 76 87 doi 10 1016 j foreco 2014 04 006 Liu T S 11 November 1971 A Monograph of the genus Abies National Taiwan University Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Abies religiosa amp oldid 1191430833, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
