In view of the fact that A. gamblei (which has been mostly treated as synonym of A. pindrow) is a distinct taxon whether you call it A. pindrow at species rank (book on World conifers) or A. pindrow var. brevifolia (Rehder, Manual of Cultivated Plants), or A. pindrow subsp. gamblei (established in 1999), also realising the fact A. densa (E. Himalayan) mostly treated under A. spectabilis earlier, and 2010 publication of A. pseudochensiensis (which was distributed in in Botanical gardens under the name A. gamblei or A. pindrow var. brevifolia-both W. Himalayan, or even A. chensiensis- a Chinese species), and important statement in this recent book that A. spectabilis is restricted to Central Himalayas, we should keep our options open to know exact identity and distribution of West Himalayan Abies species. I am trying to develop a simple key but when identifying for possible occurrence A. spectabilis in Western Himalayas the following features should be confirmed (let us for some time forget the confusion caused in Indian Floras and Books due to incomplete understanding of synonyms):
1. A. gamblei Hick., 1929 (syn: A. pindrow var. brevifolia Dallimore and Jackson, 1923; A. pindrow subsp. gamblei subsp. gamblei (Hick.) Rushforth, 1999: Branchlets initially yellowish-gray, maturing grey (*needs confirmation since Rehder, 1940 mentions branches reddish brown*), leaves smaller 2-3.5 cm long, radially outspreading, flat with stoma lines on upper surface; cones gray-blue to purplish, 6-10 cm long, bracts hidden, alt. 3000-3500 m, W. Himal. 2. A. densa: Branchlets gray-yellow, leaves radially spreading or ascending in upper side of branches, in two rows on under side, 2-4.5 cm long, two white lines on under side, needle margins recurved; cones 8-10 cm long, black-purple, cone bracts slightly emerging with cuspidate apex. Eastern Himalayas. 3. A. pindrow: Bark smooth and gray in young trees, grayish-brown in old; Branchlet smooth and gray, glabrous; leaves outspreading in two rows (pectinate-comb-like), down-curved, forward-directed, 3-6 cm long, gray bands beneath; fertile branches almost smooth, white; cones 10-15 cm long, deep purple, bracts hidden, scales 3 cm broad. 4. A. spectabilis: Branches conspicuously furrowed, yellowish-brown, often brown hairy; leaves 3-6 cm long, pectinately arranged in 2-3 rows especially on fertile and upper branches, upcurved to form a wide "V", white bands beneath; cones 15-20 cm long, violet-purple, bracts hidden or slightly emerging, scales 1-5-2 cm broad. Central Himalayas.. 5. A. pseudochensiensis Debreczy: I am trying to procure (any member can help). -- Dr. Gurcharan Singh Retired Associate Professor SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007 Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018. Phone: 011-25518297 Mob: 9810359089 http://www.gurcharanfamily.com/ http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/ On Tue, Oct 23, 2012 at 7:07 AM, jmgarg1 <[email protected]> wrote: > A reply: > "This is Abies spactabilis and snaped at Tisri ,the way to > Churdhar,alongwith my company. > KrishanLal" > > > On 22 October 2012 19:34, jmgarg1 <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Forwarding pl. >> >> ---------- Forwarded message ---------- >> From: <[email protected]> >> Date: 22 October 2012 19:28 >> Subject: The "high level fir tree" in the west Himalayas >> To: jmgarg1 <[email protected]> >> Cc: efloraofindia <[email protected]>, [email protected], >> [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], >> [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], >> [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], >> [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], >> [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], >> [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], >> [email protected], [email protected] >> >> >> >> Dear Manoj Chandran ji >> It is very intersting to read the information you kindly provided. >> Abies spectabilis is actually a robust tree with huge cones (sometimes up >> to 20 long!) - see the >> photo plate on page 311 of C.A.W. (attached). The tree called A. >> spectabilis in the western Himalayan >> region must be a different one - as it was described by Hickel as A. >> gamblei (with the type specimen >> from Uttaranchal, collected "Gauriku'nd via Tri'jugi Nara'in and Ma'ser >> Tal to Bi'lung", the sample is in >> the Paris Herbarium, seen by us). This latter tree is featured (from >> Himachal) in the C.A.W. on page >> 300 - also attached. This is a smaller tree with small cones, and >> morphology that is entirely different >> from both A. pindrow and the true spectabilis. So indeed there is a need >> to refresh the information on >> the firs of the W. Himalayas and make renewed sampling in Uttaranchal, >> Himachal, and Jammu and >> Kasmir. (Abies gamblei is actually reaching western Afghanistan also, but >> I do not think anyone can >> go there right now) -- Is there anyone who would cooperate in such a >> "Himalayan fir study"? >> Istvan Racz >> >> >> >> -- >> With regards, >> J.M.Garg >> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Jmgarg1 >> 'Creating awareness of Indian Flora & Fauna' >> The whole world uses my Image Resource of more than a *thousand species*& >> eight thousand images of Birds, Butterflies, Plants etc. (arranged >> alphabetically & place-wise): >> http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:J.M.Garg. You can also use >> them for free as per Creative Commons license attached with each image. >> For identification, learning, discussion & documentation of Indian Flora, >> please visit/ join our Efloraofindia Google e-group: >> http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix (more than 1980 members & >> 1,33,000 messages on 30/9/12) or Efloraofindia website: >> https://sites.google.com/site/efloraofindia/ (with a species database >> of more than 7500 species). >> Also author of 'A Photoguide to the Birds of Kolkata & Common Birds of >> India'. >> >> > > > -- > With regards, > J.M.Garg > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Jmgarg1 > 'Creating awareness of Indian Flora & Fauna' > The whole world uses my Image Resource of more than a *thousand species*& > eight thousand images of Birds, Butterflies, Plants etc. (arranged > alphabetically & place-wise): > http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:J.M.Garg. You can also use > them for free as per Creative Commons license attached with each image. > For identification, learning, discussion & documentation of Indian Flora, > please visit/ join our Efloraofindia Google e-group: > http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix (more than 1980 members & > 1,33,000 messages on 30/9/12) or Efloraofindia website: > https://sites.google.com/site/efloraofindia/ (with a species database > of more than 7500 species). > Also author of 'A Photoguide to the Birds of Kolkata & Common Birds of > India'. > > --
