Abies forrestii

Forrest’s fir is in the pine or Pinaceae family and grows at higher elevations in pure stands in southwestern China, and in at lower elevations in mixed stands with species such as Likiang spruce (Picea likiangensis), Chinese larch (Larix potaninii), Himalayan hemlock (Tsuga dumosa) and Chinese red birch (Betula albosinensis). It is variable in morphology and has several varieties.

• Needles are 2–3 cm long and 2 mm broad, flattened, pointed or blunt tipped or slightly knotched, the upper surface as dark green, with a midrib and two whitish stomatal lines below. They are spirally arranged on the twigs.
• The species is monoecious; pollen cones appear on lateral branchlets and are 3–4.5 cm long, yellow and the longest of any Abies. Seed cones also appear on the laterals and are thick, cylindrical with obtuse apexes (tips), 6–10 cm long by 4–5 cm wide, and are purple-blue with blue bracts, ripening to dark brown. Cones disintegrate in the fall, leaving a very thick rachis (core).
• Shoots are purple or orange-brown, graying with age; buds are ovoid and resinous, 4–10 mm long; bark is smooth, brown-gray on younger trees, with resin pockets, becoming dark brown and longitudinally fissured with age.