Abies cilicica

Abies cilicica, the Cilician fir, is a large evergreen coniferous tree in the family Pinaceae, order Pinales, native to the mountains of southern Turkey and adjacent Lebanon and Syria, where it grows in montane forests at elevations typically between 1,000 and 2,000 metres above sea level. The species name cilicica refers to the ancient region of Cilicia in southeastern Turkey, corresponding roughly to the modern provinces of Adana, Mersin, and Hatay, which represents part of its core distribution. The Cilician fir is a significant ecological component of the Taurus and Amanus mountain forest systems, forming pure or mixed stands with Turkish pine, cedar of Lebanon, and various deciduous species. The tree reaches 25 to 35 metres in height with a broadly conical crown that becomes more irregular and flat-topped in very old trees. The bark is smooth and grey in younger specimens, eventually becoming rough and platy. Needles are flat, dark green and shiny on the upper surface, with two distinct whitish stomatal bands on the underside, and they are typically arranged in two lateral rows or somewhat swept to the sides of the branchlets. The species bears cylindrical, erect seed cones up to 20 to 30 centimetres in length, among the longest of any fir species, which disintegrate at maturity on the tree. Abies cilicica is used locally for timber and has also been planted as an ornamental in European botanical gardens, valued for its vigorous growth and handsome form.