Abies pinsapo

Abies pinsapo, Spanish fir, is a species of tree in the family Pinaceae,<ref name=KewPOWO/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> native to southern Spain and northern Morocco.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Related to other species of Mediterranean firs, it appears at altitudes of Template:Convert in the Sierra de Grazalema in the Province of Cádiz and the Sierra de las Nieves and Sierra Bermeja, both near Ronda in the province of Málaga.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In Morocco, it is limited to the Rif Mountains at altitudes of Template:Convert on Jebel Tissouka and Jebel Tazaot. The scientific name pinsapo is from the Spanish vernacular name for the species.

Description

Abies pinsapo is an evergreen conifer growing to 20–30 m tall, with a conic crown, often becoming irregular with age. The leaves are 1.5–2 cm long, arranged radially all round the shoots, and are strongly glaucous pale blue-green, with broad bands of whitish wax on both sides. The cones are cylindrical, measuring 9–18  cm long. They are green to pinkish-purple before maturity, and have a smooth surface, with short bract scales that do not protrude. When mature, they disintegrate to release the winged seeds.

There are two subspecies:<ref name=KewPOWO/>

• Abies pinsapo subsp. pinsapo Boiss. – southern Spain.
• Abies pinsapo subsp. marocana (Trab.) Emb. & Maire – northern Morocco.

The Moroccan subspecies, Moroccan fir, differs in the leaves being less strongly glaucous and the cones slightly longer, 11–20 cm long. It is sometimes treated as a separate species, Abies marocana.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Conservation

Despite the best conservation and reforestation efforts that have greatly increased the abundance of Spanish fir, it still has several threats such as fires, urban projects, erosion, excessive visitors and tourists, etc.

Cultivation

The cultivars A. pinsapo 'Aurea'<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> (to 8m, with golden new growth) and A. pinsapo 'Glauca'<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> (to 12m plus, with grey-green leaves) have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

Gallery

• Foliage and cones in the Sierra Bermeja
  Foliage and cones in the Sierra Bermeja
• Foliage, Sierra de Grazalema
  Foliage, Sierra de Grazalema
• "Pinsapo de las Escaleretas", the largest known specimen, in the Sierra de las Nieves
  "Pinsapo de las Escaleretas", the largest known specimen, in the Sierra de las Nieves
• Trunk of "Pinsapo de las Escaleretas"
  Trunk of "Pinsapo de las Escaleretas"
• Pollen cones, in the Sierra de las Nieves
  Pollen cones, in the Sierra de las Nieves
• subsp. marocana, Talassemtane, Morocco
  subsp. marocana, Talassemtane, Morocco
• subsp. marocana cone, with resin
  subsp. marocana cone, with resin

External links

• Tourist information for the Sierra de Grazalema (in Spanish)