Cedrus atlantica - Atlas cedar description

Scientific name: Cedrus atlantica (Endlicher) Manetti ex Carrière  1855 

Synonyms: Abies atlantica (Endl.) Lindl. & Gordon, Cedrus africana Gordon ex Knight, Cedrus argentea Renou, Cedrus libani subsp. atlantica (Endl.) Batt. & Trab., Cedrus libani var. atlantica (Endl.) Hook.f., Cedrus libanitica subsp. atlantica (Endl.) O.Schwarz, Cedrus libanotica subsp. atlantica (Endl.) Jahand. & Maire, Pinus atlantica Endl., Pinus cedrus var. atlantica (Endl.) Parl.

Common names: Atlas cedar (English), Cèdre de l'Atlas (French), Arz atlassi (Arabic)

Description

Trees to 30-35(-40) m tall, but at higher elevations usually lower, with trunk to 1.5-2 m. Trunk usually monopodial, columnar, massive, often forked above the middle. Bark on trunk cracked and fissured, rough, dark grey, breaking into flaking plates revealing reddish brown bark. Branches of first order massive, the upper ones ascending, the lower horizontal or bent downward; branches of second order crowded, spreading in horizontal or descending planes, ascending near the top of the tree; crown in young trees broadly conical, in old trees spreading laterally, becoming flat topped. Branchlets short, firm, except leading shoot, which is longer and slender, grey green or grey brown, soon turning grey and flaking, densely blackish pubescent at first; pulvini on long shoots small, prominent; short shoots thick, scaly, of variable length with age (0.5-3 cm), assurgent or erect. Vegetative buds ovoid globular, 2-3 × 1.5-2 mm, not resinous; bud scales broadly ovate, red brown, dark brown or blackish at apex, deciduous. Leaves on long shoots spirally arranged, remote, near base of long shoot more crowded, radially spreading, falling in 2nd or 3rd year; on short shoots densely crowded in false whorls, 20-45, spreading radially, (1-)1.5-2.5(-3) cm long, 1-1.5 mm wide, narrowly linear, straight or curved, diamond shaped in cross section; apex acute or acuminate; stomata on all sides, more numerous on two adjacent sides; colour glossy dark green or glaucous. Pollen cones terminal on short shoots, erect, subtended by leaves, numerous, soon falling after shedding pollen, 3-4 cm long, straight, later curved, first rose yellow, later pale brown. Seed cones terminal on short shoots, erect, sessile, becoming woody in 2nd year, ovoid or barrel shaped; apex obtuse or retuse, 5-8 × 3-5 cm, light green, maturing to pale green, with purplish edges of seed scales, ripening to light (purplish) brown; cone rachis persistent, narrowly conical. Seed scales broad flabellate, thin, coriaceous, length × width 2-3 × 2.5-3.5 cm; surface smooth, orange-brown pubescent at base, glabrous on exposed parts; upper margin entire, slightly incurved; base pedicellate. Seeds ovoid conical, 8-13 × 4-6 mm, brown; seed wings broad cuneate, 18-25 × 12-17 cm, (light) brown.

Atlas and Rif Mountains of Morocco and Algeria; 1,300-2,000(-2,600) m.

Conservation Status

Red List Category & Criteria: Endangered

Varieties:

Cedrus atlantica ’Albospica’
Cedrus atlantica ’Argentea’
Cedrus atlantica ’Argentea fastigiata’
Cedrus atlantica ’Arneson’s Dwarf’
Cedrus atlantica ’Aurea’
Cedrus atlantica ’Aurea Prostrata’
Cedrus atlantica ’Aurea Robusta’
Cedrus atlantica ’Aureovariegata’
Cedrus atlantica ’Bergkristal’
Cedrus atlantica ’Blue Cascade’
Cedrus atlantica ’Cheltenham’
Cedrus atlantica ’Cinerea’
Cedrus atlantica ’Cinerescens’
Cedrus atlantica ’Columnaris’
Cedrus atlantica ’Compact Gem’
Cedrus atlantica ’Contorta’
Cedrus atlantica ’Csontvári’
Cedrus atlantica ’Emerald Weeper’
Cedrus atlantica ’Fastigiata’
Cedrus atlantica ’Fastigiata Glauca’
Cedrus atlantica ’Fez’
Cedrus atlantica ’Glauca’
Cedrus atlantica ’Glauca Aurea’
Cedrus atlantica ’Glauca Fastigiata’
Cedrus atlantica ’Glauca Horizontalis’
Cedrus atlantica ’Glauca Pendula’
Cedrus atlantica ’Glauca Pendula Contorta’
Cedrus atlantica ’Globus’
Cedrus atlantica ’Granny Louise’
Cedrus atlantica ’Green Vase’
Cedrus atlantica ’Hillier’s HB’
Cedrus atlantica ’Hillsboro’
Cedrus atlantica ’Homepark’
Cedrus atlantica ’Horstmann’
Cedrus atlantica ’J. F. Wilson’
Cedrus atlantica ’Kelly Leonard’s Gold’
Cedrus atlantica ’Kondor’
Cedrus atlantica ’Kruaus Twisted’
Cedrus atlantica ’Lilliput’
Cedrus atlantica ’Morocco’
Cedrus atlantica ’Mount St. Catherina’
Cedrus atlantica ’Nana’
Cedrus atlantica ’Nivea’
Cedrus atlantica ’Pendula’
Cedrus atlantica ’Pyramidalis’
Cedrus atlantica ’Robusta Aurea’
Cedrus atlantica ’Robusta Green’
Cedrus atlantica ’Rustic’
Cedrus atlantica ’Sahara Frost’
Cedrus atlantica ’Sahara Ice’
Cedrus atlantica ’Sander’s Blue Weeper’
Cedrus atlantica ’Saphir Nymph’
Cedrus atlantica ’Short Needled Form’
Cedrus atlantica ’Silberspitz’
Cedrus atlantica ’Silver Dust’
Cedrus atlantica ’St. Catherina’
Cedrus atlantica ’Swan Island’
Cedrus atlantica ’Taurus’
Cedrus atlantica ’Taverna’
Cedrus atlantica ’Turkish Baby’
Cedrus atlantica ’Turkish Delight’
Cedrus atlantica ’Uwe’
Cedrus atlantica ’Variegata’
Cedrus atlantica ’Viridis’
Cedrus atlantica ’Wilkman’

Attribution from: Conifers Garden