98 A HANDBOOK OF CONIFERS 



Wilson states that this is the common silver fir of N.W, 

 Hupeh, China, where remnants of old. forests of it are still met with. 

 It also occurs in E. Szechuen. 



Journ. de Bot. xiii, 256 (1899); PL Wils. ii, 48 (1914). 



Abies Faxoniana, Rehder and Wilson. (Fig. 16.) 



This species is described as a tree 60-100 ft. high. Bark of 

 old trees greyish, fissured below. Young shoots reddish-brown with 

 shaggy hairs. Winter huds ovoid, purplish, very resinous. Leaves 

 arranged in one plane, l-l^ in. long, margins shghtly recurved, 

 apex acute or rounded, notched ; bright shining green and grooved 

 above ; lower surface with two white stomatic bands. Mature 

 cones violet purple, ovoid or ovoid-oblong, 2-3| in. long by 1-1^ 

 in. broad ; scales with bracts more or less exserted, erect or 

 recurved. 



Closely aUied to A. Delavayi which is said to differ in its 

 usually glabrous shoots and much longer, more barrel-shaped 

 cones and longer leaves revolute at the margins. 



It is found in the forests of W. Szechuen, China, at 8,000- 

 11,000 ft. elevation. Seedling plants raised from seeds collected 

 by Wilson and cultivated as A. Faxoniana have young shoots 

 red brown or purjDlish, glabrous or hairy in the grooves ; leaves 

 arranged in two or more ranks, those of the upper rank only 

 about half as long as the lower ones. 



PI. Wils. ii, 42 (1914). 



Abies firma, Siebold. (Fig. 17.) 

 Japanese Fib. 



Abies bifida, Siebold and Zuccarini ; Pinus firma, Antoine. Momi. 



A tree attaining in Japan a height of 150 ft. and a girth of 

 16 ft., with massive horizontal branches forming an oval or flat- 

 tened crown. Bark on old trees rough and dark grey, breaking 

 up into small plates. Young shoots Hght brown, grooved, hairy 

 in the grooves on young trees, but often becoming hairless in older 

 specimens. Winter huds small, ovoid, blunt, with slightly resinous 

 scales. Leaves arranged in two opposite sets spreading outwards, 

 and upwards with a V-shaped depression between them, those 

 on the upper side gradually shortening ; up to about 1^ in. 

 long, \—jri in. wide, flattened, stiff, leathery, apex ending in two 

 horny points ; bright glossy green, grooved above, lower surface 

 with two greyish bands of stomata ; resin canals two to four, 

 marginal. Cones cylindric or cylindric -conic, yellowish -green 

 before ripening, 4—5 in. long by l|-lf in. wide, with the tips of 

 the bracts visible between the scales, which are about an inch 

 wide, kidney-shaped, suddenly contracted to a short claw ; bracts 

 narrow, longer than the scale, terminating in an acute point. 



