OregonFlora: Abies magnifica

	Abies magnifica x Abies procera (synonym of Abies magnifica)
	Shasta red fir
Habit	Trees to 60 m tall; mature crown narrow and conic.
Leaves	usually 1-ranked, occasionally 2-ranked on lower branches, curving upward; flexible; cross section 4-sided, occasionally 3-sided, 2–3.5 cm × 2–2.5 mm; abaxial surface bluish green, glaucous, with 8–10 stomatal rows; adaxial surface bluish green, glaucous, often with 2 whitish bands, not or weakly grooved, 8–10 stomatal rows; apex rounded to acute.
Pollen cones	purple.
Seeds	14–16 × 5–7 mm, red; wings approximately same length as body.
Trunks	to 2.5 m in diameter; bark gray; smooth, bark of lower trunk deeply furrowed with reddish plates; branches ascending in crown, descending lower; twigs opposite to whorled, pubescent 1st year, glabrous after 1st year.
Seed cones	oblong-cylindrical, 15–20 cm long, purple to greenish brown; scales pubescent; bracts exserted and reflexed over scales, covering less than 85% (often much less) of cone at maturity.

	Abies magnifica x Abies procera
Distribution	[WildflowerSearch map] [BONAP county map]
Discussion	Mid-elevation to subalpine forests. 300–2000 m. Casc, CR. CA, WA. Native. Morphological and DNA evidence indicates that no pure Abies magnifica is likely to exist in Oregon. As a result, all previously described populations of A. magnifica are now assigned to A. magnifica × A. procera. Specimens of A. magnifica × A. procera can be distinguished from pure A. procera by seed cone and seed cone bract morphology.
Source	Flora of Oregon, volume 1, page 117 Stephen Meyers
Sibling taxa	A. magnifica x Abies procera
Synonyms	Abies magnifica, Abies magnifica var. magnifica, Abies magnifica var. shastensis
Web links	Local floras: CA, OR Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos, Flora NW, PNW Herbaria WildflowerSearch iNaturalist (observations) USDA Plants Database LBJ Wildflower Center SEINet Plants of the World Online Encyclopedia of Life Wikipedia Google Image Search

Abies magnifica x Abies procera

(synonym of Abies magnifica)

Shasta red fir

Habit

Trees to 60 m tall; mature crown narrow and conic.

Leaves

usually 1-ranked, occasionally 2-ranked on lower branches, curving upward; flexible;

cross section 4-sided, occasionally 3-sided, 2–3.5 cm × 2–2.5 mm;

abaxial surface bluish green, glaucous, with 8–10 stomatal rows;

adaxial surface bluish green, glaucous, often with 2 whitish bands, not or weakly grooved, 8–10 stomatal rows;

apex rounded to acute.

Pollen cones

purple.

Seeds

14–16 × 5–7 mm, red;

wings approximately same length as body.

Trunks

to 2.5 m in diameter;

bark gray; smooth, bark of lower trunk deeply furrowed with reddish plates;

branches ascending in crown, descending lower;

twigs opposite to whorled, pubescent 1st year, glabrous after 1st year.

Seed cones

oblong-cylindrical, 15–20 cm long, purple to greenish brown;

scales pubescent;

bracts exserted and reflexed over scales, covering less than 85% (often much less) of cone at maturity.

Abies magnifica x Abies procera

Distribution

[WildflowerSearch map]

[BONAP county map]

Discussion

Mid-elevation to subalpine forests. 300–2000 m. Casc, CR. CA, WA. Native.

Morphological and DNA evidence indicates that no pure Abies magnifica is likely to exist in Oregon. As a result, all previously described populations of A. magnifica are now assigned to A. magnifica × A. procera. Specimens of A. magnifica × A. procera can be distinguished from pure A. procera by seed cone and seed cone bract morphology.