PINACEAE 

 Balsam Fir 



Abies balsamca (L.) Mill. 



HABIT. A slender tree 40-60 feet high, with a trunk 

 diameter of 12-18 inches; branches in whorls of 4-6, forming a 

 symmetrical, open crown widest at the base and tapering regularly 

 upward. 



LEAVES. Scattered, spirally arranged in rows, on young 

 trees extending from all sides of the branch, on old trees cover- 

 ing the upper side of the branch; narrowly linear, with apex 

 acute or rounded; ^2-1 J4 inches long; lustrous, dark green above, 

 pale beneath; sessile; aromatic. Persistent 8-10 years. 



FLOWERS. May; monoecious; the staminate oblong- 

 cylindrical, yellow, Y^ inch long, composed of yellow anthers 

 (subtended by scales) spirally arranged upon a central axis; the 

 pistillate oblong-cylindrical, I inch long, composed of orbicular, 

 purple scales (subtended by yellow-green bracts) spirally ar- 

 ranged upon a central axis. 



FRUIT. Autumn of first season; oblong-cylindrical, erect, 

 puberulous, dark purple cones, 2-4 inches long, about I inch thick; 

 seeds J4 mcn ' on g> shorter than their light brown wings. 



WINTER-BUDS. Globose, orange-green, resinous, Y^A 

 inch in diameter. 



BARK. Twigs at first grayish and pubescent, becoming 

 gray-brown and smooth ; thin and smooth on young trunks, pale 

 gray-brown and marked by swollen resin chambers; red-brown 

 on old trunks and somewhat roughened by small, scaly plates. 



WOOD. Very light, soft, weak, coarse-grained, perishable, 

 pale brown, with thick, lighter colored sapwood. 



DISTRIBUTION. Occasional in the southern half of the 

 Lower Peninsula, frequent in the northern half; abundant in the 

 Upper Peninsula. 



HABITAT. Prefers cool, moist, rich soil; low, swampy 

 ground ; well-drained hillsides. 



NOTES. Grows rapidly. Short-lived. Easily transplanted. 

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