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Scientific name: Abies guatemalensis Alfred Rehder 1939
Synonyms: Abies guatemalensis var. guatemalensis, Abies guatemalensis subsp. ixtepejiensis (Silba) Silba, Abies guatemalensis var. ixtepejiensis Silba, Abies guatemalensis subsp. longibracteata (Debreczy & I.Rácz) Silba, Abies guatemalensis var. longibracteata Debreczy & I.Rácz, Abies guatemalensis subsp. rushforthii (Silba) Silba, Abies guatemalensis var. rushforthii Silba, Abies guatemalensis var. tacanensis (Lundell) Martínez, Abies guatemalensis subsp. tamaulipasensis (Silba) Silba, Abies guatemalensis var. tamaulipasensis Silba, Abies guatemalensis subsp. zapotekensis (Debreczy, I.Rácz & G.Ramirez) Silba, Abies tacanensis Lundell, Abies zapotekensis Debreczy, I.Rácz & G.Ramirez
Infraspecific taxa: Abies guatemalensis var. jaliscana Martínez 1948
Common names: Guatemalan fir, Pashaque fir (English), Abeto de Guatemala, Pinabete (Spanish)
Tree to 35(-40) m tall, with trunk to 1(-1,5) m in diameter. Bark grayish brown, breaking up somewhat with age. Branchlets somewhat hairy, especially near the tips on lower branches, grooved between the leaf bases. Buds 4-5 mm long, resinous. Needles arranged mostly to the sides in several ranks and with a few shorter needles angled forward above the twigs, (1-)2.5-5.5 cm long, shiny dark or light green above, the tip usually notched but sometimes bluntly pointed. Individual needles flat in cross section and with a resin canal on either side near the outer edge and touching the lower epidermis, without or with three or four discontinuous rows of stomates in the groove above near the tip and with 8-12 rows in each silvery white stomatal band beneath. Pollen cones 15-25 mm long, yellow. Seed cones oblong, (6-)8-10(-12) cm long, (2.5-)4-5.5 cm across, purple when young, maturing dark brown. Bracts from half as long as the minutely hairy seed scales and hidden by them to about as long and peaking out between them. Persistent cone axis narrowly conical. Seed body 8-10 mm long, the wing a little longer. Cotyledons five or six.
Pacific slope of southern Mesoamerica, from Coahuila, San Luis Potosí, and eastern Guerrero (southern Mexico) to Santa Barbara (western Honduras). Forming pure stands or, more commonly, mixed with other conifers and hardwoods on moist soils in the high mountains; (1,500-)3,200-3,800(-4,100) m.
Red List Category & Criteria: Endangered
Historically Abies guatemalensis has been an important timber tree and as a result considerable loss of forest cover has occurred which is estimated to be ca. 50% over three generations (a generation here is estimated to 25–30 years). The loss of forest due to logging still continues today but at a slower rate. The recent trend of using the species for Christmas decorations in Guatemala and expanding urbanization has added to its decline. The area of occupancy of what remains has been estimated as being 270 km² which is well within the threshold of 500 km² for being classified as ‘Endangered’. This estimate is based on 258 km² given by Andersen et al. (2006) for 92 of the 119 known forests plus an estimate of between 0.15 and 0.20 km2 for the remaining 26 forests. Deforestation has caused severe fragmentation and there continues to be a decline in the extent of occurrence and area of occupancy which has led to the loss of some locations and a mature individual. This variety has therefore been assessed as being ‘Endangered’ under the A2 and B2 criteria.
There has been a marked decrease in the population of Abies guatemalensis, particularly in Guatemala where most of the population is represented. Up until the 19th century Abies guatemalensis was still plentiful in the western highlands of Guatemala and locally widespread in the 1940s, however, by the late 1950s most stands had been heavily exploited except for a small number of sites on national lands where cutting is prohibited.
Forms a tall tree 35-40 m tall and 1-1.5 m dbh. Abies guatemalensis is usually associated with several highland conifers, such as Abies religiosa, Cupressus lusitanica, Pinus ayacahuite, Pinus hartwegii, Pinus michoacana, Pinus montezumae and Pinus pseudostrobus. At lower elevations Arbutus spp., Juniperus spp. and Quercus spp. co-occur and open forest stands are dominated by Arbutus xalapensis, Baccharis vaccinioides, Cestrum guatemalense, Litsea glaucescens, Rubus trilobus, Salvia cinnabarina and Sambucus mexicana. Abies guatemalensis is usually sparsely distributed and monospecific stands occur rarely. Cone production can be irregular Veblen (1976), however, in Guatemala, plenty of regeneration of both saplings and seedlings has been observed (U.S. Andersen pers. obs.) and CAMCORE (1985) claim that good seed crops occur every second or third year.
Abies guatemalensis has a long history of exploitation as valuable timber and for charcoal production, and thus the remaining populations are restricted to a few remote mountain ranges with some protection in national parks or nature reserves. However, illegal logging (which strongly inhibits natural regeneration) still takes place and a recent trend of using the species for Christmas decorations has become a market-driven incentive for poaching. In Guatemala and El Salvador, the highest human populations densities coincide with the main distribution of Abies guatemalensis, which is having a negative impact on the remaining forest fragments. In contrast, considerable intact forests remain in Honduras, however, the variety is still being negatively affected by logging, forest pasture and clearing for agriculture.
The straight stems and the relatively soft wood make the species highly valued by local woodcutters for various construction purposes but it is also used for making shingles and tools, and for charcoal production. A more recent utilization is the harvest of Christmas trees and greenery, i.e. branches for decorative purposes and recent market surveys in Guatemala City reveals that artificial trees constitute the highest income source for traders compared to other Christmas products traded. It has been estimated that around 70% of the artificial Christmas trees are made from branches using Abies guatemalensis.
Felling is prohibited in some countries and the species is listed in CITES Appendix I. Although the model of strict protection, for example in national parks or nature reserves, may work in developed countries, it is problematic in poor countries where local communities make a livelihood from exploitation of natural resources, therefore, future conservation of Abies guatemalensis has to develop strategies, which work with the local people and give them clear benefits from conservation measures. There needs to be a long-term sustainable management plan put in place in collaboration with local communities which should include supplying large quantities of sustainably produced greenery to the market and so reducing the potential of poaching within protected sites.
Copyright © Aljos Farjon, James E. Eckenwalder, IUCN, Conifers Garden. All rights reserved.
