Abies spectabilis

Abies spectabilis

The East Himalayan fir (Abies spectabilis (D.Don) Mirb.) is an arboreal species belonging to the Pinaceae family.

Systematics –
From a systematic point of view it belongs to:
Eukaryota Domain,
Kingdom Plantae,
Pinophyta Division,
Pinopsida class,
Order Pinales,
Pinaceae family,
Genus Abies,
A. spectabilis species.
Basionimo is the term:
– Pinus spectabilis D. Don.
The terms are synonymous:
– Abies brevifolia hort.;
– Abies brevifolia hort. ex Dallim.;
– Abies chilrowensis Parl.;
– Abies spectabilis (D.Don) Spach;
– Abies spectabilis subsp. langtangensis (Silba) Silba;
– Abies spectabilis var. brevifolia (A.Henry) Rehd.;
– Abies spectabilis var. langtangensis Silba;
– Abies webbiana (Wall. ex D.Don) Lindl.;
– Abies webbiana var. brevifolia A.Henry;
– Picea naphta Knight;
– Picea webbiana (Wall. ex D.Don) Loudon;
– Pinus spectabilis D.Don;
– Pinus striata Buch.-Ham.;
– Pinus striata Buch.-Ham. ex Godr.;
– Pinus striata Buch.-Ham. ex Gordon & Glend.;
– Pinus tinctoria Wall.;
– Pinus tinctoria Wall. ex D.Don;
– Pinus webbiana Wall.;
– Pinus webbiana Wall. ex D.Don;
– Pinus webbiana Wall. ex Lamb..

Etymology –
The term Abies comes from Abies which is the classical Latin name (Virgil, Egloghe, from the Sanskrit root abh gush of resin); according to another interpretation it would derive from the Greek word ἄβιος = long-lived.
The specific name spectabilis refers to the splendid and superb appearance of this tree.

Geographic Distribution and Habitat –
Abies spectabilis is a conifer native to the Himalayas, present in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal, China (Xizang), northern India.
Its habitat is that of the forests of the central and western Himalayas where this species is dominant, at altitudes between 3000 and 4000 meters, although occasionally it is found on slopes up to 2450 meters. Needing cool and humid conditions, it grows more easily on the north-facing slopes, leaving free field for shrubs and grassy species on the south-facing slopes.

Description –
The East Himalayan fir is an evergreen conifer of medium or large size that can reach 60 meters in height.
The trunk is cylindrical and straight and can be 200 cm or more in diameter.
The bark of the stem is rough and scaly, dark gray in color.
The foliage is wide and conical and the branches develop horizontally. The shoots are red-brown, deeply furrowed and pubescent.
The leaves are 2-6 cm long needles, glossy dark green above, and with two broad bands of stomata below, with acute tips; they grow on several lines at the top of the shoots. The buds are wide, rounded and resinous.
The cones are cylindrical, 14-20 cm long and about 7 cm broad, purple when young, brown when ripe; the scales, which conceal the bracts, are 1,5-2 cm broad.

Cultivation –
Abies spectabilis is an evergreen tree that is used in nature for mainly local use as a source of medicines and materials.
This species has a wide distribution from eastern Nepal to eastern Afghanistan and is usually the dominant tree in populations, but can also grow with other conifers or broad-leaved trees.
This plant in the areas of origin prefers the cooler soils of the north-facing slopes, mainly at altitudes between 3,000 and 4,000 meters. The climate is cool and humid monsoon with abundant rainfall, most of which falls in the form of snow.
Although it is very resistant when dormant, the plant can be susceptible to damage from late frosts in the vegetation of the year.
From a pedological point of view it prefers a good moist but not waterlogged soil in slightly acidic conditions up to a pH of about 5. It grows well in heavy clay soils.
Plants are very shade tolerant, especially when young, but growth is slower in dense shade; is intolerant to air pollution.
Young trees are very slow to establish themselves as they are often damaged by late frosts, it is best to grow young trees in full shade to protect them.
Trees should be planted in open fields when they are quite small, between 30 and 90 cm in height.
Propagation is by seed. Sowing should be done in late winter in a greenhouse or outdoors in early spring. Germination is often poor, usually taking about 6 – 8 weeks. Stratification is said to produce more uniform germination, so it is recommended that the seed be sown in an unheated seedbed as soon as it is ripe in the fall.
The seed remains viable for up to 5 years if well preserved.

Customs and Traditions –
Abies spectabilis is a plant that, in addition to its wood, is used for medicinal purposes.
The leaves are astringent, carminative, expectorant, stomachic and tonic.
The leaf juice is used in the treatment of asthma, bronchitis, etc. It is also antiperiodic
An essential oil obtained from the leaves is used to treat colds, rheumatism and nasal congestion.
In addition, the essential oil obtained from both leaves and branches is used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations as a masking agent and skin conditioner.
The dried leaves, mixed with other ingredients, are used to make incense.
Wood is used for construction and to provide shingles for roofs or as fuel.
Wood is used in construction, in particular for the construction of internal parts of houses, similarly to that of Abies pindrow; however, the very high altitudes of its habitat make the Abies spectabilis economically less important; another particular use of its wood is in the manufacture of tea boxes. A tincture is made with the purple pine cones.
Regarding the ecological aspects, despite the very extensive range, the Abies spectabilis has been subjected to excessive use especially at lower altitudes, with an estimated decrease in the population of 25%; for this reason it was classified in 2011 as “almost threatened”, a category close to those of endangered species in the IUCN Red List.

Preparation Method –
Abies spectabilis is a highly exploited plant in its range especially for the use of timber.
This plant is also used for medicinal and cosmetic purposes.
In the medicinal field, the leaves or their juice are used.
From the leaves and branches an essential oil is obtained which is used in cosmetics or for medicinal uses.
With the dried leaves, mixed with other ingredients, an incense is prepared.

Guido Bissanti

Sources
– Acta Plantarum – Flora of the Italian Regions.
– Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
– GBIF, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.
– Useful Tropical Plants Database.
– Conti F., Abbate G., Alessandrini A., Blasi C. (ed.), 2005. An annotated checklist of the Italian vascular flora, Palombi Editore.
– Pignatti S., 1982. Flora of Italy, Edagricole, Bologna.
– Treben M., 2000. Health from the Lord’s Pharmacy, Advice and experiences with medicinal herbs, Ennsthaler Editore.
Photo source:
– https://stories.rbge.org.uk/archives/25230

Warning: Pharmaceutical applications and alimurgical uses are indicated for informational purposes only, they do not represent in any way a medical prescription; therefore no responsibility is taken for their use for curative, aesthetic or food purposes.