Vol. X, pp. 115-118 November 3, 1896 



PROCEEDINGS /f^^-^^ 



OF THE /. ^ ' 



BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 





A NEW FIR FROM ARIZONA, ABIES ARIZONICA. 

 BY C. HART MERRIAM. 



In the summer of 1889, when making a biological survey of 

 the San Francisco Mountain region in Arizona, I discovered a 

 new fir with whitish corky bark. The scales of the cones were 

 shed before the end of September, and no perfect cones were 

 brought back. In my report on the ' Forest Trees of the San 

 Francisco Mountain Region ' I described this ' white cork-bark 

 fir ' under the head of Abies subalpina Engelm. [= Abies lasiocarpa 

 Hooker], with the following explanation : " I believe this tree to 

 be distinct from true A. subalpinn,hut in the absence of material 

 for direct comparison I am unwilling to separate it." My original 

 account of the species is as follows : " This beautiful fir, unique 

 in the color and character of its bark, is one of the most con- 

 spicuous trees on San Francisco Mountain between the altitudes 

 of 2,725 and 2,900 meters (8,950 to 9,500 feet). On the north 

 side of a large butte, just south of Walker Lake crater, it de- 

 scends to 2,600 meters (8,500 feet). The bark is a fine elastic 

 cork of uniform texture, and free from hard particles. It aver- 

 ages about 6 millimeters in thickness and is very durable, fre- 

 quently remaining intact while the wood rots away. Large pieces 

 of it, still retaining their elasticit3% may be stripped from dead 

 trees and from logs upon the ground. It is sculptured by irregu- 

 larly interrupted longitudinal depressions or grooves, and is 

 ornamented by fine, parallel, wavy lines. Its color varies from 

 creamy white to gray, and the surface has a velvety texture. The 

 leaves are short, and the scales of the large cones are deciduous 

 while still on the tree. In fact, it was almost impossible to secure 

 a perfect cone as early as the latter part of September. * * * 



20— Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. X, 1896 (115) 



