View source for Fir

{{short description|Genus of plants in the conifer family cedar}}
{{Other uses|FIR (disambiguation)|FIRS (disambiguation)}}
{{redirect|Fir tree||Fir Tree (disambiguation)}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| name = Fir
| fossil_range = {{Fossil range|49|0}} [[Eocene]] - [[Holocene|Present]]<ref name="Schorn01" /> Possible Campanian record<ref>{{cite web |title=Drumheller region (Cretaceous to of Canada) |url=https://paleobiodb.org/classic/basicCollectionSearch?collection_no=34894&is_real_user=1 |website=PBDB.org}}</ref>
| image = Abies koreana (szyszki).JPG
| image_caption = [[Korean fir]] (''Abies koreana'') cones and foliage
| taxon = Abies
| authority = [[Philip Miller|Mill.]]
| type_species = ''[[Abies alba]]''
| type_species_authority = [[Mill.]]
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision = See text
| synonyms =
* ''Peuce'' <small>Richard 1810</small>
}}
'''Firs''' are [[evergreen]] [[conifer]]ous trees belonging to the [[genus]] '''''Abies''''' ({{IPA|la|ˈabieːs|lang}}) in the family [[Pinaceae]]. There are approximately 48–65<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Torres |first1=Leon Nahuel |last2=Shi |first2=Xiao |last3=Na |first3=Yuling |last4=Wang |first4=Bing |last5=Tian |first5=Chi |last6=Chen |first6=Jun |date=2024-03-01 |title=First study on fossil wood from the Middle Pleistocene of the Songliao Plain, Northeast China |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0034666724000149 |journal=Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology |volume=322 |pages=105063 |doi=10.1016/j.revpalbo.2024.105063 |bibcode=2024RPaPa.32205063T |issn=0034-6667}}</ref><ref>Debreczy  Zsolt  Rácz István  and Kathy Musial. 2011. ''Conifers Around the World : Conifers of the Temperate Zones and Adjacent Regions''. Budapest: DendroPress.</ref> extant species, found on mountains throughout much of North and [[Central America]], Eurasia, and [[North Africa]]. The genus is most closely related to ''[[Keteleeria]]'', a small genus confined to eastern Asia.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Leslie |first1=Andrew B. |display-authors=et al. |year=2018 |title=ajb21143-sup-0004-AppendixS4 |journal=American Journal of Botany |volume=105 |issue=9 |pages=1531–1544 |doi=10.1002/ajb2.1143 |url=https://bsapubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/action/downloadSupplement?doi=10.1002%2Fajb2.1143&file=ajb21143-sup-0004-AppendixS4.pdf |doi-access=|pmid=30157290 }}</ref>
The genus name is derived from the Latin "to&nbsp;rise" in reference to the height of its species.<ref name=Coombes>{{Cite book|last=Coombes|first=Allen J.|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/741564356|title=The A to Z of plant names : a quick reference guide to 4000 garden plants|date=2012|publisher=Timber Press|isbn=978-1-60469-196-2|edition=1st|location=Portland, Or.|pages=17, 23|oclc=741564356}}</ref> The common English name originates with the Old Norse ''fyri'' or the Old Danish ''fyr''.<ref>{{Cite web|title=fir {{!}} Origin and meaning of fir by Online Etymology Dictionary|url=https://www.etymonline.com/word/fir|access-date=2020-10-01|website=www.etymonline.com|language=en|archive-date=2021-08-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210808095144/https://www.etymonline.com/word/fir|url-status=live}}</ref>
They are large trees, reaching heights of {{convert|10|–|80|m|ft|abbr=off}} tall with trunk diameters of {{convert|0.5|–|4|m|ftin|abbr=on}} when mature. Firs can be distinguished from other members of the pine family by the way in which their needle-like [[leaves]] are attached singly to the branches with a base resembling a [[suction cup]], and by their [[Conifer cone|cones]], which, like those of [[Cedrus|cedars]], stand upright on the branches like candles and disintegrate at maturity.
Identification of the different species is based on the size and arrangement of the leaves, the size and shape of the cones, and whether the [[bract]] scales of the cones are long and exserted, or short and hidden inside the cone.
== Description ==
=== Leaves ===<!-- Fir needle redirects here. -->
<gallery>
Abies alba PID1015-3.jpg|''[[Abies alba|A. alba]]'' – the underside of leaves have two whitish strips formed by [[wax]]-covered [[stoma]]tal bands, while their bases are shaped like suction cups.
Abies grandis 5359.JPG|''[[Abies grandis|A. grandis]]'' foliage – upper side of the leaves, showing the leaves lying flat either side of the shoot
Punta de rama pinsapo (Abies pinsapo) (8620598021).jpg|Foliage of ''[[Abies pinsapo|A. pinsapo]]'' showing the radial leaf arrangement in this species
File:Abies mariesii2.JPG|Most firs are inbetween the two extremes of flat and radial, with an intermediate arrangement, often with longer leaves at the sides, and shorter leaves above the shoot; here, ''[[Abies mariesii|A. mariesii]]'' in Japan
</gallery>
Firs can be distinguished from other members of the pine family by the unique attachment of their needle-like [[leaves]] to the twig by a base that resembles a small [[suction cup]]. The leaves are significantly flattened, sometimes even looking like they are pressed, as in ''[[Abies sibirica|A.&nbsp;sibirica]]''.
The leaves have two whitish lines on the bottom, each of which is formed by [[wax]]-covered [[stoma]]tal bands. In most species, the upper surface of the leaves is uniformly green and shiny, without [[stoma]]ta or with a few on the tip, visible as whitish spots. Other species have the upper surface of leaves dull, greyish green or bluish to silvery ([[glaucous]]), coated by wax with variable number of [[stoma]]tal bands, and not always continuous. An example species with shiny green leaves is ''[[Abies alba|A.&nbsp;alba]]'', and an example species with matt waxy leaves is ''[[Abies concolor|A.&nbsp;concolor]]''.
The tips of leaves are usually more or less notched (as in ''[[Abies firma|A.&nbsp;firma]]''), but sometimes rounded or dull (as in ''[[Abies concolor|A.&nbsp;concolor]]'', ''[[Abies magnifica|A.&nbsp;magnifica]]'') or sharp and prickly (as in ''[[Abies bracteata|A.&nbsp;bracteata]]'', ''[[Abies cephalonica|A.&nbsp;cephalonica]]'', ''[[Abies holophylla|A.&nbsp;holophylla]]''). The leaves of young plants are usually sharper.
The leaves are arranged spirally on the shoots, but by being twisted at their base, the way they spread from the shoot is diverse; in some species comb-like ('pectinate'), with the leaves flat on either side of the shoot (e.g. ''[[Abies alba|A.&nbsp;alba]]'', ''[[Abies grandis|A.&nbsp;grandis]]''), in others, the leaves remain radial (e.g. ''[[Abies pinsapo|A.&nbsp;pinsapo]]'')<ref name="Seneta81" />
Foliage in the upper crown on cone-bearing branches is different, with the leaves shorter, curved, and sometimes sharp.<ref name="Arno-2020">{{Cite book |last1=Arno |first1=Stephen F. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qDD4DwAAQBAJ |title=Northwest Trees: Identifying & Understanding the Region's Native Trees |last2=Hammerly |first2=Ramona P. |publisher=[[Mountaineers Books]] |year=2020 |isbn=978-1-68051-329-5 |edition=field guide |location=Seattle |pages=125 |language=en |oclc=1141235469 |orig-date=1977 |access-date=2022-02-26 |archive-date=2023-09-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230919000929/https://books.google.com/books?id=qDD4DwAAQBAJ |url-status=live }}</ref>
=== Cones ===
<gallery>
Abies cone & bits.jpg|Intact and disintegrated [[Abies borisii-regis|Bulgarian fir]] cones
Abies holophylla Manchurian Fir cones.jpg|Immature cones of some species are green; here [[Abies holophylla|Manchurian fir]] ''Abies holophylla''
Manchurian Fir Abies holophylla disintegrating cones.jpg|Disintegrating cones of Manchurian fir
Abies pindrow India3.jpg|[[Abies pindrow|Pindrow fir]] ''Abies pindrow'' with dark purple cones
Caucasian Fir, young cultivated tree with cones, Northumberland.jpg|[[Abies nordmanniana|Caucasian Fir]] ''Abies nordmanniana'' young cones with reddish scales and yellow-green bracts
Noble Fir, young naturalised tree with cones, Northumberland.jpg|[[Abies procera|Noble fir]] ''Abies procera'', with five heavy (20 cm, approx 0.5 kg each) cones, three erect, and two hanging where their weight has caused the branch to twist
</gallery>
Firs differ from other conifers in having erect, cylindrical [[Conifer cone|cones]] {{convert|5|-|25|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} long that disintegrate at maturity to release the winged [[seed]]s. In contrast to [[spruce]]s, fir cones are erect; they do not hang, unless heavy enough to twist the branch with their weight.
The mature cones are usually brown. When young in summer, they can be green:
:''[[Abies grandis|A. grandis]]'', ''[[Abies holophylla|A. holophylla]]''
or reddish:
:''[[Abies alba|A.&nbsp;alba]]'', ''[[Abies cephalonica|A.&nbsp;cephalonica]]'', ''[[Abies nordmanniana|A.&nbsp;nordmanniana]]''
or bloomed pale glaucous or pinkish:
:''[[Abies numidica|A.&nbsp;numidica]]'', ''[[Abies pinsapo|A.&nbsp;pinsapo]]''
or purple to blue, sometimes very dark blue, almost black:
:''[[Abies forrestii|A.&nbsp;forrestii]]'', ''[[Abies fraseri|A.&nbsp;fraseri]]'', ''[[Abies homolepis|A.&nbsp;homolepis]]'', ''[[Abies lasiocarpa|A.&nbsp;lasiocarpa]]'', ''[[Abies pindrow|A.&nbsp;pindrow]]''.
Many species are [[polymorphism (biology)|polymorphic]] in cone colour, with different individuals of the same species producing either green or purple cones:
:''[[Abies concolor|A.&nbsp;concolor]]'', ''[[Abies koreana|A.&nbsp;koreana]]'' (usually purple, rarely green, such as the [[cultivar]] 'Flava'), ''[[Abies magnifica|A.&nbsp;magnifica]]'' (usually green, occasionally purple), ''[[Abies nephrolepis|A.&nbsp;nephrolepis]]'' (f.&nbsp;''chlorocarpa'' green), ''[[Abies sibirica|A.&nbsp;sibirica]]'', ''[[Abies veitchii|A.&nbsp;veitchii]]'' (f.&nbsp;''olivacea'' green)<ref name="Seneta81" />
The cone scale bracts can be short and hidden in the mature cone, or long and exposed ('exserted'); this can vary even within a species, e.g. in ''[[Abies magnifica]]'' var. ''magnifica'', the bracts are hidden, but in var. ''critchfieldii'' and var. ''shastensis'', they are exserted. The bracts scales are often a different colour to the cone scales, which can make for a very attractive combination valued in ornamental trees.
== Classification ==
The oldest pollen assignable to the genus dates to the Late Cretaceous in Siberia, with records of leaves and reproductive organs across the Northern Hemisphere from the [[Eocene]] onwards.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Xiang |first1=Xiaoguo |last2=Cao |first2=Ming |last3=Zhou |first3=Zhekun |date=October 2007 |title=Fossil history and modern distribution of the genus Abies (Pinaceae) |url=http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11461-007-0058-4 |journal=Frontiers of Forestry in China |language=en |volume=2 |issue=4 |pages=355–365 |doi=10.1007/s11461-007-0058-4 |issn=1673-3517 |access-date=2023-02-15 |archive-date=2024-01-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240101153338/https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11461-007-0058-4 |url-status=live }}</ref>
{{cladogram|title=Phylogeny of ''Abies''<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Stull |first1=Gregory W. |last2=Qu |first2=Xiao-Jian |last3=Parins-Fukuchi |first3=Caroline |last4=Yang |first4=Ying-Ying |last5=Yang |first5=Jun-Bo |last6=Yang |first6=Zhi-Yun |last7=Hu |first7=Yi |last8=Ma |first8=Hong |last9=Soltis |first9=Pamela S. |last10=Soltis |first10=Douglas E. |last11=Li |first11=De-Zhu |last12=Smith |first12=Stephen A. |last13=Yi |first13=Ting-Shuang |display-authors=et al. |year=2021 |title=Gene duplications and phylogenomic conflict underlie major pulses of phenotypic evolution in gymnosperms |journal=Nature Plants |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/s41477-021-00964-4 |volume=7 |issue=8 |pages=1015–1025 |doi=10.1038/s41477-021-00964-4 |biorxiv=10.1101/2021.03.13.435279 |pmid=34282286 |pmc= |bibcode= 2021NatPl...7.1015S|s2cid=232282918 |doi-access= |access-date=2023-03-30 |archive-date=2022-01-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220110174725/https://www.nature.com/articles/s41477-021-00964-4/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Stull |first1=Gregory W. |display-authors=et al. |year=2021 |title=main.dated.supermatrix.tree.T9.tre |publisher=Figshare |doi=10.6084/m9.figshare.14547354.v1 |url=https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/Gene_duplications_and_genomic_conflict_underlie_major_pulses_of_phenotypic_evolution_in_gymnosperms/14547354 |doi-access= |access-date=2023-03-30 |archive-date=2024-01-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240101153348/https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/Gene_duplications_and_genomic_conflict_underlie_major_pulses_of_phenotypic_evolution_in_gymnosperms/14547354 |url-status=live }}</ref>|
{{clade|style=font-size:90%;line-height:80%;width:450px
|1={{clade
|1={{clade
|label1=('''''Pseudotorreya''''')
|1=''[[Abies bracteata|A. bracteata]]'' <small>(Don) Poit.</small>
}}
|2={{clade
|label1=('''''Religio''''')
|1={{clade
|1={{clade
|label1=section
|sublabel1=''Amabilis''
|1={{clade
|1=''[[Abies mariesii|A. mariesii]]'' <small>Masters</small>
|2={{clade
|1=''[[Abies amabilis|A. amabilis]]'' <small>(Douglas ex Loudon) Forbes</small>
|2=''[[Abies procera|A. procera]]'' <small>Rehder</small>
}}
}}
}}
|2={{clade
|label1=section
|sublabel1=''Nobiles''
|1=''[[Abies magnifica|A. magnifica]]'' <small>Murray</small>
|label2=section
|sublabel2=''Grandis''
|2={{clade
|1=''[[Abies concolor|A. concolor]]'' <small>(Gordon) Lindley ex Hildebr.</small>
|2={{clade
|1=''[[Abies jaliscana|A. jaliscana]]'' <small>(Martínez) Mantilla, Shalisko & Vázquez</small>
|2={{clade
|1=''[[Abies guatemalensis|A. guatemalensis]]'' <small>Rehder</small>
|2={{clade
|1=''[[Abies hickelii|A. hickelii]]'' <small>Flous & Gaussen</small>
|2={{clade
|1=''[[Abies flinckii|A. flinckii]]'' <small>Rushforth</small>
|2={{clade
|1=''[[Abies vejarii|A. vejarii]]'' <small>Martínez</small>
|2={{clade
|1=''[[Abies durangensis|A. durangensis]]'' <small>Martínez</small>
|2={{clade
|1=''[[Abies religiosa|A. religiosa]]'' <small>(Kunth) von Schlechtendal & von Chamisso</small>
|2={{clade
|1=''[[Abies hidalgensis|A. hidalgensis]]'' <small>Debreczy, Rácz & Guízar</small>
|2={{clade
|1=''[[Abies grandis|A. grandis]]'' <small>(Douglas ex Don) Lindley</small>
|2=''[[Abies lowiana|A. lowiana]]'' <small>(Gordon) Murray</small>
}}
}}
}}
}}
}}
}}
}}
}}
}}
}}
}}
}}
|label2=('''''Abies''''')
|2={{clade
|1={{clade
|label1=section
|sublabel1=''Abies''
|1={{clade
|1=''[[Abies alba|A. alba]]'' <small>Miller</small>
|2={{clade
|1=''[[Abies pinsapo|A. pinsapo]]'' <small>Boiss.</small>
|2={{clade
|1=''[[Abies cephalonica|A. cephalonica]]'' <small>Loudon</small>
|2={{clade
|1=''[[Abies nebrodensis|A. nebrodensis]]'' <small>(Lojac.) Mattei</small>
|2={{clade
|1=''[[Abies nordmanniana|A. nordmanniana]]'' <small>(Steven) Spach</small>
|2={{clade
|1=''[[Abies numidica|A. numidica]]'' <small>de Lannoy ex Carrière</small>
|2={{clade
|1=''[[Abies borisii-regis|A. ×borisii-regis]]'' <small>Mattf.</small>
|2=''[[Abies cilicica|A. cilicica]]'' <small>(Antoine & Kotschy) Carrière</small>
}}
}}
}}
}}
}}
}}
}}
}}
|2={{clade
|1={{clade
|label1=section
|sublabel1=''Balsamea''
|1={{clade
|1=''[[Abies lasiocarpa|A. lasiocarpa]]'' <small>(Hooker) Nuttall</small>
|2={{clade
|1=''[[Abies ernestii|A. ernestii]]'' <small>Rehder</small>
|2=''[[Abies balsamea|A. balsamea]]'' <small>(von Linné) Miller</small>
}}
}}
}}
|2={{clade
|label1=section
|sublabel1=''Sibiria''
|1={{clade
|1=''[[Abies firma|A. firma]]'' <small>Siebold & Zuccarini</small>
|2=''[[Abies sibirica|A. sibirica]]'' <small>Ledeb.</small>
}}
|label2=section
|sublabel2=''Pseudopicea''
|2={{clade
|1=''[[Abies fanjingshanensis|A. fanjingshanensis]]'' <small>Huang, Tu & Fang</small>
|2={{clade
|1=''[[Abies ziyuanensis|A. ziyuanensis]]'' <small>Fu & Mo</small>
|2={{clade
|label1=series
|sublabel1=''Squamatae''
|1={{clade
|1=''[[Abies kawakamii|A. kawakamii]]'' <small>(Hayata) Itô</small>
|2={{clade
|1=''[[Abies chensiensis|A. chensiensis]]'' <small>van Tieghem</small>
|2={{clade
|1=''[[Abies squamata|A. squamata]]'' <small>Masters</small>
|2={{clade
|1=''[[Abies beshanzuensis|A. beshanzuensis]]'' <small>Wu</small>
|2={{clade
|1=''[[Abies pindrow|A. pindrow]]'' <small>(Royle ex Don) Royle</small>
|2={{clade
|1=''[[Abies recurvata|A. recurvata]]'' <small>Masters</small>
|2=''[[Abies fargesii|A. fargesii]]'' <small>Franchet</small>
}}
}}
}}
}}
}}
}}
|label2=series
|sublabel2=''Spectabiles''
|2={{clade
|1=''[[Abies koreana|A. koreana]]'' <small>Wilson</small>
|2={{clade
|1=''[[Abies nephrolepis|A. nephrolepis]]'' <small>(Trautvetter ex Maxim.) Maxim.</small>
|2={{clade
|1={{clade
|1=''[[Abies holophylla|A. holophylla]]'' <small>Maxim.</small>
|2=''[[Abies sachalinensis|A. sachalinensis]]'' <small>(Schmidt) Masters</small>
}}
|2={{clade
|1={{clade
|1=''[[Abies fabri|A. fabri]]'' <small>(Masters) Craib</small>
|2=''[[Abies veitchii|A. veitchii]]'' <small>Lindley</small>
}}
|2={{clade
|1=''[[Abies fraseri|A. fraseri]]'' <small>(Pursh) Poiret</small>
|2={{clade
|1=''[[Abies delavayi|A. delavayi]]'' <small>Franchet</small>
|2={{clade
|1={{clade
|1=''[[Abies densa|A. densa]]'' <small>Griffith</small>
|2=''[[Abies spectabilis|A. spectabilis]]'' <small>(Don) de Mirbel</small>
}}
|2={{clade
|1=''[[Abies nukiangensis|A. nukiangensis]]'' <small>Cheng & Fu</small>
|2={{clade
|1=''[[Abies ferreana|A. ferreana]]'' <small>Bordères & Gaussen</small>
|2={{clade
|1=''[[Abies forrestii|A. forrestii]]'' <small>Coltm.-Rog.</small>
|2={{clade
|1=''[[Abies georgei|A. georgei]]'' <small>Orr</small>
|2={{clade
|1=''[[Abies homolepis|A. homolepis]]'' <small>Siebold & Zuccarini</small>
|2=''[[Abies yuanbaoshanensis|A. yuanbaoshanensis]]'' <small>Lu & Fu</small>
}}
}}
}}
}}
}}
}}
}}
}}
}}
}}
}}
}}
}}
}}
}}
}}
}}
}}
}}
}}
}}
}}
===Section ''Abies''===
'''Section ''Abies''''' is found in central, south, and eastern Europe and Asia Minor.
* ''[[Abies alba]]'' – silver fir or European silver fir
* ''[[Abies nebrodensis]]'' – Sicilian fir
* ''[[Abies borisii-regis]]'' – Bulgarian fir
* ''[[Abies cephalonica]]'' – Greek fir
* ''[[Abies nordmanniana]]'' – Caucasian fir or Nordmann fir
** [[Abies nordmanniana subsp. equi-trojani|''Abies nordmanniana'' subsp. ''equi-trojani'']] – Kazdağı fir, Turkish fir
* ''[[Abies pinsapo]]'' – Spanish fir
** ''Abies pinsapo'' var. ''marocana'' – Moroccan fir
* ''[[Abies numidica]]'' – Algerian fir
* ''[[Abies cilicica]]'' – Syrian fir
===Section ''Balsamea''===
'''Section ''Balsamea''''' is found in northern Asia and North America, and high mountains further south.
* ''[[Abies fraseri]]'' – Fraser's fir
* ''[[Abies balsamea]]'' – balsam fir
** ''Abies balsamea'' var. ''phanerolepis'' – bracted balsam fir
* ''[[Abies lasiocarpa]]'' – subalpine fir
** ''Abies lasiocarpa'' var. ''arizonica'' – corkbark fir
** ''Abies lasiocarpa'' var. ''bifolia'' – Rocky Mountains subalpine fir
* ''[[Abies sibirica]]'' – Siberian fir
** ''Abies sibirica'' var. ''semenovii''
* ''[[Abies sachalinensis]]'' – Sakhalin fir
* ''[[Abies koreana]]'' – Korean fir
* ''[[Abies nephrolepis]]'' – Khinghan fir
* ''[[Abies veitchii]]'' – Veitch's fir
** ''Abies veitchii'' var. ''sikokiana'' – Shikoku fir
===Section ''Grandis''===
'''Section ''Grandis''''' is found in western North America to Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, in lowlands in the north, moderate altitudes in south.
* ''[[Abies grandis]]'' – grand fir or giant fir
** ''Abies grandis'' var. ''grandis'' – Coast grand fir
** ''Abies grandis'' var. ''idahoensis'' – interior grand fir
* ''[[Abies concolor]]'' – white fir
** ''Abies concolor'' subsp. ''concolor'' – Rocky Mountain white fir or Colorado white fir
** ''Abies concolor'' subsp. ''lowiana'' – Low's white fir or Sierra Nevada white fir
* ''[[Abies durangensis]]'' – Durango fir
** ''Abies durangensis'' var. ''coahuilensis'' – Coahuila fir
* ''[[Abies flinckii]]'' – Jalisco fir
* ''[[Abies guatemalensis]]'' – Guatemalan fir
** ''Abies guatemalensis'' var. ''guatemalensis''
** ''Abies guatemalensis'' var. ''jaliscana''
* ''[[Abies vejarii]]''
===Section ''Momi''===
'''Section ''Momi''''' is found in east and central Asia and the Himalaya, generally at low to moderate altitudes.
* ''[[Abies kawakamii]]'' – Taiwan fir
* ''[[Abies homolepis]]'' – Nikko fir
* ''[[Abies recurvata]]'' – Min fir
** ''Abies recurvata'' var. ''ernestii'' – Min fir
* ''[[Abies firma]]'' – Momi fir
* ''[[Abies beshanzuensis]]'' – Baishanzu fir
* ''[[Abies holophylla]]'' – Manchurian fir
* ''[[Abies chensiensis]]'' – Shensi fir
** ''Abies chensiensis'' subsp. ''salouenensis'' – Salween fir
* ''[[Abies pindrow]]'' – Pindrow fir
* ''[[Abies ziyuanensis]]'' – Ziyuan fir
===Section ''Amabilis''===
'''Section ''Amabilis''''' is found in the Pacific Coast mountains in North America and Japan, in high rainfall areas.
* ''[[Abies amabilis]]'' – Pacific silver fir
* ''[[Abies mariesii]]'' – Maries' fir
===Section ''Pseudopicea''===
[[File:Abies fabri in mist.jpg|thumb|right|''[[Abies fabri|A. fabri]]'', Sichuan, China]]
'''Section ''Pseudopicea''''' is found in the [[Himalaya|Sino – Himalayan mountains]] at high altitudes.
* ''[[Abies delavayi]]'' – Delavay's fir
** ''Abies delavayi'' var. ''nukiangensis''
** ''Abies delavayi'' var. ''motuoensis''
** ''Abies delavayi'' subsp. ''fansipanensis''
* ''[[Abies fabri]]'' – Faber's fir
** ''Abies fabri'' subsp. ''minensis''
* ''[[Abies forrestii]]'' – Forrest's fir
* ''[[Abies densa]]'' – Bhutan fir
* ''[[Abies spectabilis]]'' – East Himalayan fir
* ''[[Abies fargesii]]'' –  Farges' fir
* ''[[Abies fanjingshanensis]]'' – Fanjingshan fir
* ''[[Abies yuanbaoshanensis]]'' – Yuanbaoshan fir
* ''[[Abies squamata]]'' – flaky fir
===Section ''Oiamel''===
'''Section ''Oiamel''''' is found in central Mexico at high altitudes.
* ''[[Abies religiosa]]'' – sacred fir
* ''[[Abies hickelii]]'' – Hickel's fir
** ''Abies hickelii'' var. ''oaxacana'' – Oaxaca fir
===Section ''Nobilis''===
[[File:Red fir.jpg|thumb|right|''[[Abies magnifica|A. magnifica]]'', California, USA]]
'''Section ''Nobilis''''' (western [[United States|U.S.]], high altitudes)
* ''[[Abies procera]]'' – noble fir
* ''[[Abies magnifica]]'' – red fir
** ''Abies magnifica'' var. ''shastensis'' – Shasta red fir
===Section ''Bracteata''===
'''Section ''Bracteata''''' ([[California]] coast)
* ''[[Abies bracteata]]'' – bristlecone fir
*?†''[[Abies rigida]]'' {{small|[[Frank Knowlton]]|Knowlton}}<ref name="Knowlton1923">{{cite report |last1=Knowlton |first1=F.H. |year=1923 |title=Fossil plants from the Tertiary lake beds of South-Сentral Colorado |series=Professional Paper |publisher=United States Geological Survey |volume=131-G |pages=183–197  |doi=10.3133/pp131G |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref name="WolfeSchorn1990">{{cite report |last1=Wolfe |first1=J.A. |last2=Schorn |first2=H.E. |year=1990 |title=Taxonomic revision of the Spermatopsida of the Oligocene Creede flora, southern Colorado |series=Bulletin |publisher=United States Geological Survey |volume=1923 |pages=1–40  |doi=10.3133/b1923 |doi-access=free }}</ref> - ([[Priabonian]]-[[Chattian]]; Colorado)
===Section ''Incertae sedis''===
'''Section ''Incertae sedis'''''
* †''[[Abies milleri]]'' – (Extinct) Early [[Eocene]]<ref name="Schorn01" />
== Ecology ==
Firs are used as food plants by the [[caterpillar]]s of some [[Lepidoptera]] species, including ''[[Chionodes]] abella'' (recorded on [[white fir]]), [[autumnal moth]], [[Korscheltellus|conifer swift]] (a pest of [[balsam fir]]), [[engrailed (moth)|the engrailed]], [[grey pug]], [[mottled umber]], [[pine beauty]] and the [[tortrix moth]]s ''[[Cydia illutana]]'' (whose caterpillars are recorded to feed on [[European silver fir]] cone scales) and ''[[Cydia duplicana|C.&nbsp;duplicana]]'' (on European silver fir bark around injuries or [[canker]]).
''[[Abies religiosa]]'' (sacred fir) trees give [[Monarch butterfly roosts|roosting]] shelter to overwintering [[Danaus plexippus|monarch butterflies]].<ref>{{cite web | last =Groth | first =Jacob | title =Monarch Migration Study | publisher =Swallowtail Farms | date =10 November 2000 | url =http://www.swallowtailfarms.com/pages/educationalproducts_mms.html | access-date =21 July 2014 | archive-date =9 May 2022 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20220509093135/http://www.swallowtailfarms.com/pages/educationalproducts_mms.html | url-status =live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url =http://www.monarchjointventure.org/monarch-biology/monarch-migration/ | publisher =Monarch Joint Venture | title =Monarch Migration | year =2013 | access-date =2017-10-25 | archive-date =2017-10-31 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20171031023829/https://monarchjointventure.org/monarch-biology/monarch-migration/ | url-status =live }}</ref>
== Phytochemistry ==
''Abies'' produce a variety of [[terpenoid]]s. The analyses of the Zavarin group{{Snd}}from Smedman et al 1969 to Zavarin  et al 1977{{Snd}}showed variation in terpenoid composition of the bark by genetics, geography, age and size of the tree.<ref name="Hemingway-2018">{{cite book |last=Hemingway |first=R. W. |title=Organic Chemicals from Biomass |date=2018-01-18 |publisher=CRC Press |isbn=978-1-351-07525-1 |pages=189–248 |chapter=Bark: Its Chemistry and Prospects for Chemical Utilization}}</ref><ref name="Barton-2018">{{cite book |last=Barton |first=George M. |title=Organic Chemicals from Biomass |date=2018-01-18 |publisher=CRC Press |isbn=978-1-351-07525-1 |pages=249–280 |chapter=Foliage}}</ref>
== Uses ==
[[File:Laukaa.vaakuna.svg|thumb|upright=0.7|Green fir twig pictured on top of heart in the coat of arms of [[Laukaa]]]]
[[Wood]] of most firs is considered unsuitable for general [[timber]] use and is often used as [[Pulp (paper)|pulp]] or for the manufacture of [[plywood]] and rough timber. It is commonly used in [[Canadian Lumber Standard]] graded wood.<ref name="Homebuilding">{{cite web | last=Jenkins | first=Steve | title=What is CLS timber and what DIY projects is it good for? | website=Homebuilding & Renovating | date=2023-09-03 | url=https://www.homebuilding.co.uk/advice/what-is-cls-timber | access-date=2024-08-22}}</ref> Because this genus has no insect or decay resistance qualities after logging, it is generally recommended in construction purposes for indoor use only (e.g. indoor [[drywall]] on [[Timber framing|framing]]). Firwood left outside cannot be expected to last more than 12 to 18 months, depending on the type of climate it is exposed to.
[[Abies nordmanniana|Caucasian fir]], [[Abies procera|noble fir]], [[Abies fraseri|Fraser's fir]] and [[Abies balsamea|balsam fir]] are popular [[Christmas tree]]s, generally considered to be the best for this purpose, with aromatic foliage that does not shed many needles on drying out. Many are also decorative garden trees, notably [[Abies koreana|Korean fir]] and Fraser's fir, which produce brightly coloured cones even when very young, still only {{convert|1|–|2|m|ftin|abbr=on}} tall. Many fir species are grown in botanic gardens and other specialist tree collections in Europe and North America.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/abies/ |title=Christian, T. (2021) ''Abies'' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online |access-date=2023-03-01 |archive-date=2023-03-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230301173716/https://treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/abies/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
''Abies spectabilis'' or Talispatra is used in [[Ayurveda]] as an antitussive (cough suppressant) drug.<ref>{{cite web
| last = Schar
| first = Douglas
| title = Douglas Fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii
| work = Archives
| publisher = Doctor Schar
| date = 2015
| url = http://doctorschar.com/archives/douglas-fir-pseudotsuga-menziesii/
| access-date = 2015-10-04
| archive-date = 2015-10-05
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151005111108/http://doctorschar.com/archives/douglas-fir-pseudotsuga-menziesii/
| url-status = live
}}</ref><ref>{{cite book
| last = Kershaw
| first = Linda
| title = Edible and Medicinal Plants of the Rockies
| publisher = Lone Pine Publishing
| date = 2000
| location = Edmonton, AB
| pages = 26
| isbn = 978-1-55105-229-8
}}</ref>
==See also==
* [[Douglas-fir]]
* [[List of fir species of Denmark]]
== References ==
{{Reflist |refs=
<ref name="Schorn01">{{cite journal|author=Schorn, Howard|author2=Wehr, Wesley| date=1986| title=Abies milleri, sp. nov., from the Middle Eocene Klondike Mountain Formation, Republic, Ferry County, Washington| journal=Burke Museum Contributions in Anthropology and Natural History| volume=1 | pages = 1–7}}</ref>
<ref name="Seneta81">{{cite book |last=Seneta |first=Włodzimierz |title=Drzewa i krzewy iglaste (Coniferous trees and shrubs) |edition=1st |language=pl |year=1981 |publisher=Państwowe Wydawnictwo Naukowe (PWN) |location=Warsaw |isbn=978-83-01-01663-0 }}</ref>
}}
== Further reading ==
* Philips, Roger.  ''Trees of North America and Europe'', Random House, Inc., New York {{ISBN|0-394-50259-0}}, 1979.
== External links ==
{{Commons category|Abies}}
* [http://www.conifers.org/pi/Abies.php ''Abies''] at The Gymnosperm Database
* [https://treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/abies/ ''Abies''] from the website ''Trees and Shrubs Online''
* [http://www.pinetum.org/cones/ABIEScones.htm Michael P. FRANKIS CONE COLLECTION: Abies] at the Arboretum de Villardebelle—images of cones of selected species
* [http://www.karenplatt.co.uk Platt, Karen] "Gold Fever" provides descriptions of golden or yellow-leaved Abies cultivars
{{Plant classification}}
{{Acrogymnospermae classification}}
{{Woodworking}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q25350}}
{{authority control}}
[[Category:Abies| ]]
[[Category:Pinaceae]]
[[Category:Extant Ypresian first appearances]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Philip Miller]]