Phytoneuron [electronic resource]

Poindexter, D.B. 2010. Abies firma (Pinaceae) naturalized in North America. Phytoneuron 2010-41: 1-7.

ABIES FIRMA (PINACEAE) NATURALIZED IN NORTH AMERICA

Derick B. Poindexter

I.W. Carpenter, Jr. Herbarium

Department of Biology

Appalachian State University

Boone, NC 28608, USA

ABSTRACT

In North Carolina, A bies firma, an introduced fir from Japan, is reported as escaping and
establishing for the first time in North America. Momi Fir is an infrequently introduced taxon that
has been proposed as a highly suitable ornamental tree, particularly in the southeastern United States.
This recent discovery of its ability to naturally produce viable progeny suggests that widespread
horticultural use of this coniferous species needs further evaluation. A description and photographs
are provided to aid in identification of this taxon.
KEY WORDS: Pinaceae, Abies firma, Momi Fir, Alleghany County North Carolina

An unfamiliar conifer was encountered in Alleghany County, North Carolina during the
spring of 2010, while conducting an ongoing survey of the vascular flora of the county. Several
saplings were noticed in the vicinity of a secluded residence. The estimated age of these individuals
varied from small first year seedlings (ca. 5 individuals) immediate!} bordering the house to 5-8 year
old saplings (1-2 m tall; 2 individuals) and larger 15-20 year old (4-5 m tall; 4 individuals) pole-sized
trees growing in neighboring woodland margins along a roadside embankment and a powerline
corridor (Fig. 1). The initial assessment of this taxon was confounding. Ail saplings exhibited
branchlets with a planar orientation, and long acicular leaves with spinose-bifid apices (Fig. 2). It
became readily apparent that these individuals were expressing a dimorphism from the parent tree.
Examination of the property revealed only one possible source, a large 22 m (70+ ft) tall species of
Abies that had shorter leaves with obtuse-emarginate apices (Figs. 3-4).

Identification and taxonomy.

Most Abies species, particularly those introduced, are difficult to identify A combination of
sterile branchlets from both older reproductive trees and younger saplings are needed, but ultimately,
examination of mature seed cones is critical for the most accurate identification. However, obtaining
ovulate cones from Abies spp, can be problematic. Seed cones are produced at the ends of the
uppermost branches of the tree. The Alleghany County parent tree was free-climbed to about 18 m,
and a fully extended, 5.5 m pole pruner was used to obtain branchlet specimens with cones.

Identification was facilitated primarily by the keys in the Flora of China (Liguo et al. 1999),
and cross-referenced with several other sources (e.g., Bailey 1924; Rehder 1940; Bailey and Bailey
1976; Warren and Johnson 1988; Eckenwalder 2009). This taxon was determined to be Abies firma
Siebold & Zucc. (Japanese Fir, Momi Fir) based on the following diagnostic characteristics:

Young leaves elongate with sharp, bifid apices and a 2-ranked/distichous, planar
Older leaves of reproductive branchlets shorter with obtuse-emarginate apices, and a radially
spreading or ascending habit. At least some leaves of cone-bearing brachlets with 2 median and
up to 2 additional marginal resin canals. Stomatal bands present as abaxial white bands. Buds
scarcely resinous. Seed cones yellowish-green, cylindric, 12-15 cm long. Rachis of the seed cone
conical and slender. Seed scales thickest at or below the middle, with oblanceolate exserted
bracts that have an abrupt apical cusp. Bracts not reflexed. Seeds with a euneate-obloiig wing.
Significant features of habit and morphology are illustrated in Figs. 2-7.

Poindexter: Abies Firma naturalized in North America 2

Synonymy and voucher information.

Synonymy follows Liguo et al. (1999) and MBG (2010). Common names for the species are
Japanese Fir and Momi Fir.

Abies firma Siebold & Zucc., Beih. Bot. Centralbl. 37. II. 113. 1919.

Abies bifida Siebold & Zucc., Fl. Jap. 2(2): 18, pi. 109. 1842. Abies firma Siebold & Zucc. var. bifida
(Siebold & Zucc.) Mast, J. Linn. Soc, Bot. 18(113): 514. 1881.

North Carolina. Alleghany Co.: Cherry Lane Township, Roaring Gap. Located along Lyons
Rd. (SR 1102) in the corner of the Oklahoma Rd. (SR 1100) jet. at 36°23'15.57"N, 80°59'51.68"W,
elev.745 m. Parent tree planted in the front yard of an old residence with saplings growing in
disturbed areas in the neighboring vicinity. Infrequent (11+ individuals). 1 Apr 2010, D.B.
Poindexter 10-13 (BOON, NCU); 7 Apr 2010, D.B. Poindexter 10-27 (BOON); 9 Jul 2010, D.B.
Poindexter 10-408 with A.T. Poindexter (BOON, NCU).

Momi Fir, an endemic of Japan, occurs in warm temperate forests (Vaario et al. 1999). In its
indigenous range, the wood has been utilized for various purposes varying from roof shingles, boards,
ship building, and matches to musical instruments (Edwards 2008). In the United States, this
introduced tree is rare in the nursery trade. Although it has been used in the Christmas tree industry
in western states, it is primarily limited to ornamental specimen trees in eastern arboreta (Gilman &
Watson 1993).

A hies firma has not been previously documented as naturally reproducing or naturalizing in
North America. Nor has it been reported to occur outside of cultivation anywhere else in the world
(GCW 2010). To date, the only normative species of Abies that has been reported for North America
is Abies alba Mil., European Fir (Kartesz 2010; USDA, NRCS 2010; Weakley 2010).
Coincidentalfy, the documentation of this taxon also is from North Carolina and its occurrence has
been traced back to plantings made in the late 1 800s (Weakley 2010).

The presence of more than two resin canals in the leaves of Abies firma is a strong diagnostic
character that can be used to separate it from A. alba, among several other relevant taxonomic
morphological characters. Likewise, apparently no native species in North America north of Mexico
exhibit more than two resin canals in their leaves (Hunt 1993).

The localized naturalization of Abies firma in Alleghany County is a consequence of an initial
planting that originated well over 75 years ago (J. Hanks, former landowner, pers. comm.). Once
established, A. firma can grow ca. 30 cm (12 inches) per year (Gilman & Watson 1993). Most firs
reach reproductive maturity on average at 20 years of age; however, growth rates are rather slow,
especially in the seedling stage (Gilman & Watson 1993; Edwards 2008). This time required for
estai lishment and the subsequent annual growth rate were used as the basis for age estimations of the
individuals at this site. Despite the limited area of occurrence, several of the trees appear to be over
10 years old, thus conforming to the criterion of "naturalized" that was formulated by Pysek et al.
(2004).

According to Gilman and Watson (1993), Abies firma "is probably one of the best (if not the
best) firs to grow in the southeast." The authors likely reached this conclusion based on the high
tolerance of heat and drought exhibited by this species suitable for USDA hardiness zones 5B-8, as
well as its preference for acidic soils. In contrast seedlings at this site apparently generated from
self-fertilization, which suggests that the population may be genetically unstable and would likely
deteriorate over time. Monoecious firs are generally self-compatible, but this form of reproduction
has been shown to reduce seed yield in the North American native Noble Fir (Abies procera Rehder)

Poindexter: Abies Firma naturalized in North America 3

(Edwards 2008). Likewise, offspring derived from self-fertilization often show signs of inbreeding
depression, e.g., reduced growth rates (Edwards 2008).

As a result of the recent discovery of Momi Fir in Alleghany County, it seems that unabated
commercialized use of this taxon in the southeast could have long-term consequences upon the
landscape (i.e., it could become a more prominent ornamental exotic taxon). Ultimately, widespread
horticultural use of this taxon needs further evaluation to assess potential broader-scale ecological
impacts.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I am grateful to the Roaring Gap Donors for graciously providing funding for a long-term
study of the vascular flora of Alleghany County; North Carolina. This grant has engendered a wealth
botanical discovery, and this paper is a reflection of their financial contributions. I would also like to
thank Drs. Guy Nesom, Ralph Thompson (BEREA), and Alan Weakley (NCU) for suggestions and
critical reviews of this manuscript.

LITERATURE CITED

Bailey, L.H. 1924. Manual of Cultivated Plants. Macmillan Co., New York.

Bailey L.H. and E.Z. Bailey. 1976. Hortus Third: a Concise Dictionary of Plants Cultivated in the

United States and Canada. Macmillan Co., New York.
Eckenwalder, J.E. 2009. Conifers of the World: the Complete Reference. Timber Press, Inc.,

Portland, Oregon.
Edwards, D.GW. 2008. Abies. Pp. 148-198 in Woody Plant Seed Manual. Agriculture Handbook

727. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service.
Oilman, E.F. and D.G Watson. 1993, Abies firma, Japanese Fir. Fact Sheet ST-3. United States

Department of Agriculture, Forest Service.
Global Compendium of Weeds (GCW). 2007. Collaborative venture between AgWest and the

Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk (HEAR) project, <http://www.hear.org/gcw/> Accessed 20 Aug

2010.
Hunt, R.S. 1993. Abies. In Flora of North America Editorial Committee (eds.). Flora of North

America North of Mexico 2: 354-362.
Kartesz, J.T. 2010. Floristic Synthesis of North America, Version 2.0. Biota of North America

Program (BONAP). (in press).
Liguo, E, L. Nan, andT.S. Elias. 1999. Abies. In Z.YWu and PH. Raven (eds.). Flora of China 4:

44-52.
Mssouri Botanical Garden [MBG]. 2010. VAST (VAScular Tropicos) database.

<http://www.tropicos.org> Accessed 26 Jul 2010.
Pysek, P., D.M. Richardson, M. Rejmanek, GL. Webster, M. Williamson, and J. Kirschner. 2004.

Alien plants in checklists and floras: towards belter communication between taxonomists and

ecologists. Taxon 53: 131-143.
Render, A. 1940. Manual of Cultivated Trees and Shrubs Hardy in North America. Dioscorides

Press, Portland, Oregon.
USDA NRCS. 2010. The PLANTS Database. United States Department of Agriculture, Natural

Resources Conservation Service. National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA

<http://plants.usda.gov> Accessed 10 Aug 2010.
Vaario, L-M., M. Tanaka, and Y Ide. 1999. In vitro plantlet regeneration of Abies firma from

germinated seedlings. Bull. Tokyo Univ. For. 102: 103-111.
Warren, R. and E.W Johnson. 1988. A guide to the firs (Abies spp.) of the Arnold Arboretum.

Arnoldia 48: 2-48.
Weakley, AS. 2010. Flora of the Southern and Mid- Atlantic States, working draft of 8 March 2010.

Univ. of North Carolina Herbarium, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Pomdexter: Abies firma r

Figure 1. A) Locality of Abies firma in Alleghany County, within the Cherry Lane Township (red
square), and B) aerial imagery of the site of naturalization. Yellow symbols correspond to parent tree
(star), first-year seedlings (squares), 5-8 year old saplings (triangles), and 15-20 year old small trees
(circles). Ages of naturalized trees are based on rough e

Poindexter: Abies firma i

Figure 2. Branchlets of a vigorous young tree exhibiting different morphological characters than the
older, parent tree. Note the sharply pointed, bifid tips of the leaves, as well as their planar orientation.

Figure 3. Image of the parent tree (approximately 22 m tall).

Poindexter: Abies firma naturalized in North /

Figure 4. Mature (but unripened) seed cone and branchlets of the parent tree. Note the exserted, i
reflexed bracts of the cone and the short leaves with rounded apices.

Figure 5. Longitudinal section of a seed cone. Note the thin conical rachis.

Poindexter: Abies firma naturalized in North America 7

Figure 7. Abaxial view of a seed scale. Note the oblanceolate bract with
a short apical cusp.