Cones (van Gelderen et al. 1986).
Abies homolepis
ウラジロモミ [Japanese], Nikko fir.
Abies × umbellata Liu 1971 (syn: A. umbellata Mayr 1890, A. homolepis var. umbellata Wilson 1916) is the natural hybrid of A. homolepis and A. firma (Aizawa and Iwaizumi 2020). The parent species represent different subsections of Abies section Momi.
Trees 25-40 m. tall and 30-150 cm dbh, with a pyramidal crown of horizontal branches. Bark gray-brown with exfoliating scales. Twigs gray or brown to yellow-brown, pinkish, deeply grooved. Buds ovoid or ovoid-conical, partially hidden by the leaves, chocolate brown with white resin, 10-14 mm in diameter. Leaves spreading outwards and upwards, with a distinct V-like parting above, spreading horizontally below, flattened on both faces, shiny dark green above, bluish-white below, 10-30 × 2-2.5 mm; stomata scarce above, in 6-8 lines below; cross-section avicular, base twisted, apex obtuse or bifid. Pollen cones ovoid, yellowish-green, stamen dark purple, 14 × 7 mm. Seed cone cylindrical, apex rounded, resinous, dark violet maturing brown, 7-10 × 3-4 cm; scales slightly pubescent, denticulate; bracts hidden, about 1/2 height of the scale. Seeds gray, to 18 mm long (Silba 1986).
The hybrid, Abies × umbellata, strongly resembles A. homolepis but has greenish-yellow seed cones as in A. firma; it mainly occurs at typically at 1000–1100 m elevation in central Honshu (Christian 2021).
"Japan: Mount Adsuma to Mount Takakuma, 700-2200m" (Silba 1986). Hardy to Zone 4 (cold hardiness limit between -34.3°C and -28.9°C) (Bannister and Neuner 2001).
A tree on the Biltmore Estate, North Carolina, USA was measured at 35.1 m tall (Native Tree Society 2012). One in Highland Park, Rochester, New York, USA was measured at 68 cm dbh (Howard 2012). I have no data on trees in habitat.
No data as of 2023.02.22.
No data as of 2023.02.22.
Aizawa, M. and M. G. Iwaizumi. 2020. Natural hybridization and introgression of Abies firma and Abies homolepis along the altitudinal gradient and genetic insights into the origin of Abies umbellata. Plant Species Biology 35(2):147-157.
Christian, T. 2021. Abies × umbellata from Trees and Shrubs Online, accessed 2022.12.07.
Howard, Tom. 2012.04.15. Highland Park, Rochester, NY. www.ents-bbs.org/viewtopic.php?f=105&t=3984, accessed 2014.08.17.
Liu Tang-Shui. 1971. A Monograph of the Genus Abies. Taipei: National Taiwan University.
Native Tree Society. 2012. Biltmore Estate trees. www.ents-bbs.org/viewtopic.php?f=106&t=2674&start=20, accessed 2014.08.17.
Elwes and Henry 1906-1913 at the Biodiversity Heritage Library (treated as two species, first A. homolepis, then A. brachyphylla; the latter has been reduced to synonymy). Elwes and Henry correctly inferred the existence of the hybrid A. × umbellata. This series of volumes, privately printed, provides some of the most engaging descriptions of conifers ever published. Although they only treat species cultivated in the U.K. and Ireland, and the taxonomy is a bit dated, still these accounts are thorough, treating such topics as species description, range, varieties, exceptionally old or tall specimens, remarkable trees, and cultivation. Despite being over a century old, they are generally accurate, and are illustrated with some remarkable photographs and lithographs.
Farjon, Aljos. 1990. Pinaceae: drawings and descriptions of the genera Abies, Cedrus, Pseudolarix, Keteleeria, Nothotsuga, Tsuga, Cathaya, Pseudotsuga, Larix and Picea. Königstein: Koeltz Scientific Books.
- Provides a detailed account, with illustrations.
Last Modified 2023-02-26
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