OregonFlora: Abies procera

	Abies procera
	noble fir
Habit	Trees to 80 m tall; mature crown steeple-like, the top rounded.
Leaves	1-ranked, curving upward; flexible to sti?, 1–3.5 cm × 1.5–2 mm; cross section 4-angled, occasionally weakly 4-angled; abaxial surface bluish green, glaucous, with 2–4 whitish bands, 12–28 stomatal rows; adaxial surface bluish green, glaucous, often with 2 whitish bands, 0–14 stomatal rows; apex rounded to notched.
Pollen cones	reddish.
Seeds	11–13 × 2–4 mm, tan to brown; wings slightly longer than body.
Trunks	to 2.5 m in diameter; bark gray; smooth when young, furrowed and reddish brown with age; branches at right angles to trunk; twigs opposite to whorled, pubescent for several years.
Seed cones	oblong-cylindrical, 10–15 cm long, purple to green; scales pubescent; bracts exserted and reflexed over scales, covering over 90% of cone at maturity.
2n	=24.

	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. amabilis, A. concolor x Abies grandis, A. grandis, A. lasiocarpa, A. magnifica x Abies procera
Synonyms	Abies nobilis
Web links	Local floras: CA, OR, WA 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 procera

noble fir

Habit

Trees to 80 m tall; mature crown steeple-like, the top rounded.

Leaves

1-ranked, curving upward; flexible to sti?, 1–3.5 cm × 1.5–2 mm;

cross section 4-angled, occasionally weakly 4-angled;

abaxial surface bluish green, glaucous, with 2–4 whitish bands, 12–28 stomatal rows;

adaxial surface bluish green, glaucous, often with 2 whitish bands, 0–14 stomatal rows;

apex rounded to notched.

Pollen cones

reddish.

Seeds

11–13 × 2–4 mm, tan to brown;

wings slightly longer than body.

Trunks

to 2.5 m in diameter;

bark gray; smooth when young, furrowed and reddish brown with age;

branches at right angles to trunk;

twigs opposite to whorled, pubescent for several years.

Seed cones

oblong-cylindrical, 10–15 cm long, purple to green;

scales pubescent;

bracts exserted and reflexed over scales, covering over 90% of cone at maturity.

=24.

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.