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Learn more about "Fir"
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Fir
Firs (''Abies'') are a genus of between 45-55 species of evergreen Pinophyta|conifers in the family Pinaceae. All are trees, reaching heights of 10-80 m (30-260 ft) tall and trunk diameters of 0.5-4 m (2-12 ft) when mature. Firs can be distinguished from other members of the pine family by their needle-like leaf|leaves, attached to the twig by a base that resembles a small suction cup; and by erect, cylindrical Conifer cone|cones 5-25 cm (2-10 in) long that disintegrate at maturity to release the winged seeds. Identification of the species is based on the size and arrangement of the leaves, the size and shape of the cones, and whether the bract scales of the cones are long and exserted, or short and hidden inside the cone. They are most closely related to the cedars (''Cedrus''). Firs are found through much of North and Central America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, occurring in mountains over most of the range.
Firs are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including ''Chionodes|Chionodes abella'' (recorded on White Fir), Autumnal Moth, Korscheltellus|Conifer Swift (a pest of Balsam Fir), Engrailed|The Engrailed, Grey Pug, Mottled Umber and Pine Beauty.
Douglas-firs are not true firs, being of the genus ''Pseudotsuga''.
Classification
- '''Section ''Balsamea''''' (Taiga|boreal Asia and North America, and high mountains further south)
- ''Fraser Fir|Abies fraseri'' - Fraser Fir
- ''Balsam Fir|Abies balsamea'' - Balsam Fir
- *''Abies balsamea'' var. ''phanerolepis'' - Bracted Balsam Fir
- ''Subalpine Fir|Abies bifolia'' - Rocky Mountains Subalpine Fir
- ''Subalpine Fir|Abies lasiocarpa'' - Coast Range Subalpine Fir
- *''Abies lasiocarpa'' var. ''arizonica'' - Corkbark Fir
- ''Siberian Fir|Abies sibirica'' - Siberian Fir
- ''Sakhalin Fir|Abies sachalinensis'' - Sakhalin Fir
- ''Korean Fir|Abies koreana'' - Korean Fir
- ''Khinghan Fir|Abies nephrolepis'' - Khinghan Fir
- ''Veitch's Fir|Abies veitchii'' - Veitch's Fir
- *''Abies veitchii'' var. ''sikokiana'' - Shikoku Fir
- '''Section ''Grandis''''' (western North America to Mexico and Guatemala, lowlands in north, moderate altitudes in south)
- ''Grand Fir|Abies grandis'' - Grand Fir or Giant Fir
- *''Abies grandis'' var. ''idahoensis'' - Interior Grand Fir or Giant Fir
- ''White Fir|Abies concolor'' - White Fir
- *''Abies concolor'' subsp. ''lowiana'' - Low's White Fir
- ''Durango Fir|Abies durangensis'' - Durango Fir
- *''Abies durangensis'' var. ''coahuilensis'' - Coahuila Fir
- ''Jalisco Fir|Abies flinckii'' - Jalisco Fir
- ''Guatemalan Fir|Abies guatemalensis'' - Guatemalan Fir
- '''Section ''Abies''''' (central, south & east Europe, Asia Minor)
- ''Sicilian Fir|Abies nebrodensis'' - Sicilian Fir
- ''Silver Fir|Abies alba'' - Silver Fir
- ''Bulgarian Fir|Abies borisii-regis'' - Bulgarian Fir
- ''Greek Fir|Abies cephalonica'' - Greek Fir
- ''Nordmann Fir|Abies nordmanniana'' - Nordmann Fir or Caucasian Fir
- *''Abies nordmanniana'' subsp. ''equi-trojani'' - Kazdağı Fir, Turkish Fir
- *''Abies nordmanniana'' subsp. ''bornmülleriana'' - Uludağ Fir
- ''Abies cilicica'' - Cilician Fir, Taurus Fir
- '''Section ''Piceaster''''' (southern Spain, northwest Africa)
- ''Spanish Fir|Abies pinsapo'' - Spanish Fir
- *''Abies pinsapo'' var. ''marocana'' - Moroccan Fir
- ''Algerian Fir|Abies numidica'' - Algerian Fir
- '''Section ''Momi''''' (east & central Asia, Himalaya, generally at low to moderate altitudes)
- ''Taiwan Fir|Abies kawakamii'' - Taiwan Fir
- ''Nikko Fir|Abies homolepis'' - Nikko Fir
- ''Min Fir|Abies recurvata'' - Min Fir
- *''Abies recurvata'' var. ''ernestii'' - Min Fir
- ''Momi Fir|Abies firma'' - Momi Fir
- ''Baishanzu Fir|Abies beshanzuensis'' - Baishanzu Fir
- ''Manchurian Fir|Abies holophylla'' - Manchurian Fir
- ''Shensi Fir|Abies chensiensis'' - Shensi Fir
- *''Abies chensiensis'' subsp. ''salouenensis'' - Salween Fir
- ''Pindrow Fir|Abies pindrow'' - Pindrow Fir
- ''Ziyuan Fir|Abies ziyuanensis'' - Ziyuan Fir
- '''Section ''Amabilis''''' (Pacific coast mountains, North America and Japan, in high rainfall mountains)
- ''Pacific Silver Fir|Abies amabilis'' - Pacific Silver Fir
- ''Maries' Fir|Abies mariesii'' - Maries' Fir
- '''Section ''Pseudopicea''''' (Himalaya|Sino-Himalayan mountains, at high altitude)
- ''Delavay's Fir|Abies delavayi'' - Delavay's Fir
- ''Faber's Fir|Abies fabri'' - Faber's Fir
- ''Forrest's Fir|Abies forrestii'' - Forrest's Fir
- ''Cheng's Fir|Abies chengii'' - Cheng's Fir
- ''Bhutan Fir|Abies densa'' - Bhutan Fir
- ''East Himalayan Fir|Abies spectabilis'' - East Himalayan Fir
- ''Abies fargesii'' - Farges' Fir
- ''Fanjingshan Fir|Abies fanjingshanensis'' - Fanjingshan Fir
- ''Yuanbaoshan Fir|Abies yuanbaoshanensis'' - Yuanbaoshan Fir
- ''Flaky Fir|Abies squamata'' - Flaky Fir
- '''Section ''Oiamel''''' (Mexico, high altitudes in mountains)
- ''Sacred Fir|Abies religiosa'' - Sacred Fir
- ''Abies vejarii'' - Vejar's Fir
- *''Abies vejarii'' var. ''mexicana'' - Mexican Fir
- ''Hickel's Fir|Abies hickelii'' - Hickel's Fir
- *''Abies hickelii'' var. ''oaxacana'' - Oaxaca Fir
- '''Section ''Nobilis''''' (western United States|USA, high altitudes)
- ''Noble Fir|Abies procera'' - Noble Fir
- ''Red Fir|Abies magnifica'' - Red Fir
- *''Abies magnifica'' var. ''shastensis'' - Shasta Red Fir
- '''Section ''Bracteata''''' (California coast)
- ''Bristlecone Fir|Abies bracteata'' - Bristlecone Fir
- '''Section incertae sedis'''
- ''Abies milleri'' - (Extinct) Early EoceneUses
The wood of most firs is considered unsuitable for general timber use, and is often used as pulp or for the manufacture of plywood and rough timber. Nordmann Fir, Noble Fir, Fraser Fir and Balsam Fir are very popular Christmas trees, generally considered to be the best trees for this purpose, with aromatic foliage that does not shed many needles on drying out. Many are also very decorative garden trees, notably Korean Fir and Fraser Fir, which produce brightly coloured cones even when very young, still only 1-2 m (3-6 ft) tall. Other fir trees can grow anywhere between 30 and 236 feet tall.
References
External links
- Gymnosperm Database - ''Abies''
- Arboretum de Villardebelle cone photos: Images of cones of selected specieshi
simple:Fir
Category:AbiesRelated Images- ''Abies grandis'' foliage
- Intact and disintegrated Bulgarian Fir cones
- ''Abies alba'' foliage from Dinaric calcareous fir forests on Mt. Orjen
Sources: StartLearningNow, Wikipedia | Usage license: GNU FDL
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