Picea smithiana (Wallich.) Boiss.

Fully-hardy evergreen conical then columnar tree with spreading branches, pendant branchlets, sparse, 4-sided leaves, to 4cm long, arranged radially, and cylindrical, green then brown female cones, to 20cm long.  To 30m.  [RHSD, Hortus, Hilliers’]. 

Horticultural & Botanical History

Introduced to Europe in 1818.  [PD].  ‘This tree seems to be allied to Tournefort’s Abies orientalis, and still more so to the specimen from China, figured in Mr. Lambert’s splendid Monograph, plate 29.  It is however a distinct species, and as such I have dedicated it to the late immortal President of the Linnean Society.’  [Wallich pl.246/1832].

History at Camden Park

Listed in the 1850 and 1857 catalogues [C.6/1850].  Abies smithiana and Abies morinda were included among desiderata in a letter to John Lindley dated 15th February 1848 [MP A2933-1, p.157] and to Sir William Hooker on 11th February [MP A2933-1, p.165].  It was obtained from Kew Gardens, brought out from England by Captain P. P. King in 1849.  Believed by Macarthur to be a new introduction to the colony.  [ML A1980-3].

Notes

Published Jul 14, 2009 - 04:35 PM | Last updated Jul 29, 2010 - 03:23 PM

Figured are radially arranged leaves and brown female leaves. Wallich pl.246, 1832.

Picea smithiana (Wallich.) Boiss. | Wallich pl.246/1832 | BHL

More details about Picea smithiana (Wallich.) Boiss.
Family Pinaceae
Category
Region of origin

Afghanistan to Nepal
Synonyms
  • Pinus smithiana Wall.
  • Abies khutrow Loud.
  • Abies smithiana Lind.
  • Picea morinda Link.
Common Name

Morinda spruce, West Himalayan spruce
Name in the Camden Park Record

Abies Khutrow 
Confidence level high