Status: Native
Synonyms:
Abies bifolia A. Murray var. arizonica O'Kane & K.D. Heil
Abies lasiocarpa (Hooker) Nuttall var. arizonica (Merriam) Lemmon
Abies arizonica differs several subtle ways from Abies concolor. In smaller trees, the leaves of Abies arizonica are smaller. The most noticable difference is on the undersurface of the branches, where Abies arizonica is conspicuously glaucous and Abies concolor is not. After splitting a leaf perpendicular to its axis, the resin channels on Abies concolor are small and near the surface of the leaf laterally, while they are much larger and more central on Abies arizonica. The leaves on Abies concolor are arranged differently around the branch and seem to arise more perpendicularly than those of Abies arizonica. Abies arizonica is found at upper elevation in mixed conifer forest.
Please click on an image for a larger file.
Abies arizonica, photo Russ Kleinman, Leith Young, Bill Norris, & Richard Felger, Mogollon Mtns., Bursum Road, Aug. 1, 2009
Abies arizonica, closeup of branch, photo Russ Kleinman, Leith Young, Bill Norris, & Richard Felger, Mogollon Mtns., Bursum Road, Aug. 1, 2009
Abies arizonica, side to side comparison of top surfaces of branches of Abies arizonica (left) and Abies concolor (right), photo Russ Kleinman, Leith Young, Bill Norris, & Richard Felger, Mogollon Mtns., Bursum Road, Aug. 1, 2009
Abies arizonica, we flipped the branches over, so now a side to side comparison of bottom surfaces of branches of Abies arizonica (now on the right) and Abies concolor (now on the left), photo Russ Kleinman, Leith Young, Bill Norris, & Richard Felger, Mogollon Mtns., Bursum Road, Aug. 1, 2009
Abies arizonica, resin channels larger and more centrally located, photo Russ Kleinman, Leith Young, Bill Norris, & Richard Felger, Mogollon Mtns., Bursum Road, Aug. 1, 2009
Abies arizonica, larger example (left of aspens), photo Russ Kleinman, Leith Young, Bill Norris, & Richard Felger, Mogollon Mtns., Bursum Road, Aug. 1, 2009
Abies arizonica, bark of trunk, photo Russ Kleinman, Leith Young, Bill Norris, & Richard Felger, Mogollon Mtns., Bursum Road, Aug. 1, 2009
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