Pseudotsuga sinensis

Dode 1912

Common names

黄杉 huang shan [Chinese] (Wu and Raven 1999). The Chinese name translates as "yellow fir" and commemorates its discovery in the Yellow Mountains of Anhui (Hermann 1982).

Taxonomic notes

Discovered by plant collector R. P. Maire growing on limestone in Yunnan, at an elevation of 2,500 m. See the discussion in Pseudotsuga regarding the molecular systematics of this species; it shares a clade with P. japonica, distinct from clades occupied by other Taiwanese and mainland Asian taxa that have sometimes been treated as varieties of P. sinensis. There are two varieties:

P. sinensis Dode var. sinensis (syn.: P. xichangensis C.T. Kuan & L.J. Zhou 1983, P. shaanxiensis S.Z. Qu and K.Y. Wang 1988).

P. sinensis var. gaussenii (Flous) Silba 1990 (syn.: P. gaussenii Flous 1936).

P. brevifolia is also sometimes treated as a variety of P. sinensis. See the discussion in Pseudotsuga regarding the rationale for treating this taxon at species rank.

Description

Trees to 50 m tall and 200 cm dbh. Bark gray or dark gray, irregularly and thickly scaly, corky (Li 1975, Wu and Raven 1999). "Branchlets initially pale yellow or yellowish gray, aging gray, usually glabrous or slightly pubescent on main branchlets and densely pubescent on lateral branchlets. Leaves pectinately arranged, linear, (13-)20-25(-30) mm × ca. 2 mm, stomatal bands abaxial, whitish or gray-green, base broadly cuneate, apex emarginate. Seed cones pale purple, glaucous, maturing purplish brown, ovoid to ellipsoid-or conical-ovoid, 3.5-8 × 2-4.5 cm. Seed scales at middle of cones semiorbicular, flabellate, or reniform, 2.5-3 × 3.2-4.5(-5) cm, rusty brown pubescent abaxially, base broadly cuneate or almost truncate, concave at sides. Bracts reflexed, cusp narrowly triangular, ca. 3 mm, apex obtuse. Seeds irregularly brown spotted abaxially, triangular-ovoid, slightly depressed, densely rusty brown pubescent adaxially; wing obliquely ovate or semitrullate [1.5-2 cm long including wing]. Pollination Apr, seed maturity Oct-Nov" (Wu and Raven 1999).

Var. gaussenii is distinguished from the type by its small seed cones (3.5-5.5 vs. 4.5-8 cm long) and seed scales (broad-flabellate to reniform vs. suborbicular to rhombic-orbicular) (Farjon 2010).

Distribution and Ecology

China. Distribution a bit unclear; Wu and Raven (1999) place it in Anhui, Fujian, Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan, and Zhejiang. Farjon (2010) adds Chongqing, and specifies that var. sinensis occurs in all these provinces, while var. gaussenii is restricted to Anhui, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Zhejiang and perhaps Fujian. Possibly also in Vietnam; P. brevifolia occurs there, but it is unclear from Loc et al. (2017) whether P. sinensis is also present. Found at elevations of 600-2800(-3300) m in China, usually in evergreen broadleaf forests (Wu and Raven 1999, Luu and Thomas 2004). Hardy to Zone 8 (cold hardiness limit between -12.1°C and -6.7°C) (Bannister and Neuner 2001).

Pseudotsuga of Asia; P. sinensis in red, P. sinensis var. sinensis in orange, and P. sinensis var. gaussenii in purple. Distribution data from GBIF, 2021.02.22.

The species is listed as Vulnerable due to ongoing population decline associated with habitat loss and timber exploitation. Note that the conservation status of var. gaussenii is unclear; the IUCN has classified it as "Data Deficient."

Remarkable Specimens

Ethnobotany

The timber is used for construction, bridge building, furniture, and wood fiber (Wu and Raven 1999).

Observations

Easily seen on Huangshan, a very famous sacred mountain in Anhui, where trees up to 100 cm dbh and 30 m tall occur. It grows there with Ginkgo biloba, Torreya grandis, Tsuga chinensis, and Pinus hwangshanensis. Many trees along the trails are labeled (V. Dinets email 2006.09.25).

Remarks

The epithet refers to China; "Sinensis" is Latin for "from China."

Citations

Loc, P. K., P. V. Te, P. K. Long, J. Regalado, and L. V. Averyanov. 2017. Native conifers of Vietnam – a review. Pakistan Journal of Botany 49:2037–2068 (as P. sinensis).

See also

The species account at Threatened Conifers of the World.

Farjon (2010) provides a detailed account, with illustrations.

Hiep et al. 2004.

Huang 1994 (the Flora of Taiwan; as P. wilsoniana).

Luu and Thomas (2004) provide a description, range map, conservation status, drawings and photos, and a wealth of additional information.