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Picea smithiana (Wall.) Boiss., Fl. Orient. 5: 700 1884. (Syn: Abies khutrow (Royle ex Turra) Loudon; Abies morinda (Link) Wender.; Abies smithiana (Wall.) Lindl.; Picea khutrow (Royle ex Turra) Carrière; Picea morinda Link; Picea smithiana var. nepalensis Franco; Picea smithiana subsp. nepalensis (Franco) Silba; Picea smithiana var. pendula Sénécl.; Pinus khutrow Royle ex Turra; Pinus morinda Gordon [Invalid]; Pinus pendula Griff. [Illegitimate]; Pinus smithiana Wall.);
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NE. Afghanistan to C. Himalaya as per WCSP;
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Afghanistan: Hindu Kush; China: Xizang (Tibetan Himalaya); W Himalaya: Himachal Pradesh, Karakoram, Kashmir Himalaya, Uttar Pradesh, Nepal as per Catalogue of life;
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English: West Himalayan Spruce; NW Himalaya: Rai, Rau, Re, Riar, Kachal, Kachhlu, Salla, Tos; Garhwal & Kumaon: Roi, Rhai, Ragha, Kathela, Kandre, Morinda; Kashmir: Kachul, Rayil;
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One plant with which we can confuse Cedrus deodara in India is Picea smithiana whose leaves look similar but short shoots with clustered leaves are lacking and cones are drooping.
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Both have non flattened almost spirally arranged leaves. They can however be easily distinguished on the basis of dwarf shoots in Cedrus and their absence in Picea. They are also lighter coloured in Picea.
. Picea smithiana, the Morinda Spruce or West Himalayan Spruce, is a spruce native to the western Himalaya and adjacent mountains, from northeast Afghanistan east, India to central Nepal. It grows at altitudes of 2,400-3,600 m in forests together with Deodar Cedar, Blue Pine and Pindrow Fir. Picea smithiana is a large evergreen tree growing to 40-55 m tall (exceptionally to 60 m), and with a trunk diameter of up to 1-2 m. It has a conical crown with level branches and usually pendulous branchlets.
The shoots are pale buff-brown, and glabrous (hairless). The leaves are needle-like, the longest of any spruce, 3-5 cm long, rhombic in cross-section, mid-green with inconspicuous stomatal lines. The cones are broad cylindric-conic, 9-16 cm long and 3 cm broad, green when young, maturing buff-brown and opening to 5-6 cm broad 5–7 months after pollination; the scales are stiff and smoothly rounded.
Morinda Spruce is a popular ornamental tree in large gardens in western Europe for its attractive pendulous branchlets. It is also grown to a small extent in forestry for timber and paper production, though its slower growth compared to Norway Spruce reduces its importance outside of its native range.
Young male catkins – raw or cooked. Used as a flavouring[172]. Immature female cones – cooked. The central portion, when roasted, is sweet and syrupy[172]. Inner bark – dried, ground into a powder and then used as a thickener in soups etc or added to cereals when making bread[172]. An emergency food, it is only used when all else fails. Seed – raw. Too small and fiddly to be worthwhile unless you are desperate[172]. A refreshing tea, rich in vitamin C, can be made from the young shoot tips[172].
The bark is very water resistant and is used for roofing and making water troughs[146, 158]. Small quantities of resin are obtained from between the bark and the wood[146]. Wood – soft to moderately hard. Used in construction, shingles, crates, household purposes etc[146, 272]. It is also valued for its use in the pulp industry to make paper[171]. An indifferent fuel but it yields a fairly good charcoal[158].
(From PFAF on 12.8.13)
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Gymnosperms Fortnight- Pinaceae- Picea smithiana from Chakrata and Kashmir -GS-31 : Attachments (6). 2 posts by 2 authors.
Picea smithiana (Wall.) Boiss.,
Tall tree with drooping branches, radially spreading up to 4 cm long leaves, bright green to dark green in colour and up to 20 cm long female cones.
Photographed from Chakrata and Kashmir
HP, Oct 2014 :: Requesting ID – Pine :: ARKNOV-52 : 3 posts by 2 authors. Attachments (3)
Requesting to please provide ID of this pine captured near Solang, Manali, HP in October 2014. Picea smithiana I hope Thanks … for the ID again…
Picea smithiana from kashmir : Attachments (2). 5 posts by 4 authors.
Picea smithiana from Kashmir. The trees of Picea and Cedrus sans cones are often confused even by some botanists. Both have non flattened almost spirally arranged leaves. They can however be easily distinguished on the basis of dwarf shoots in Cedrus and their absence in Picea. They are also lighter coloured in Picea.
This one was photographed from Gulmarg on June 20, 2010. An interesting tree that I’m seeing here first. Thanks for the pictures. Thanks for sharing. By any chance if you have a picture of whole tree taken from a distance to share, then I would be grateful. Common names of Picea smithiana: English: West Himalayan Spruce
NW Himalaya: Rai, Rau, Re, Riar, Kachal, Kachhlu, Salla, Tos
Garhwal & Kumaon: Roi, Rhai, Ragha, Kathela, Kandre, Morinda
Kashmir: Kachul, Rayil
Yes Picea smithiana
GYMNOSPERMS FORTNIGHT :: Picea smithiana?? from Dalhousie and Shimla-NS 12 : Attachments (3). 5 posts by 3 authors. Picea smithiana (Spruce; locally called ‘Rai’ in Himachal) Perhaps this is again Picea smithiana…from Chakrata, August 2013.. please validate.. Nice photographs
GYNMOSPERM FORTNIGHT (1-14 Dec2013): Picea smithiana from Uttarakhand_DSR_14 : Attachments (2). 2 posts by 2 authors.
West Himalayan Spruce, Picea smithiana (Wall.) Boiss. is locally known as ‘Raga’ / ‘Kala Chiulu’ / ‘Kathela’ in Uttarakhand. It occurs between 2000-3600m altitude and can be a massive tree (21 feet girth and 205 feet high tree was recorded by Osmaston,1927 in Upper Nandakini valley).
Photographed at Naini Tal.
SK1087 18 APR-2018 : 10 posts by 3 authors. Attachments (6) – around 900 kb each. Location: Godawari, Nepal
Date: 18 April 2018
Altitude: 5000 ft.
Habit: Cultivated Female cones will help in ID Picea smithiana The tree is Picea smithiana with male cones. The drooping branches are peculiar in P. smithiana. Thank you …! Picea smithiana (Wall.) Boiss.
Nepali Names : जुरे सल्ला Jure Sallaa / झुले सल्ला Jhuse Sallaa
Gymnosperms Fortnight : 11122013 ARK-07 : Picea smithiana from Simla : Attachments (1). 3 posts by 2 authors.
Attached are pictures of Picea smithiana from Simla captured in May 2010.
Requested to please validate ID. Nice photograph … . Picea smithiana/ABDEC28 : 4 posts by 3 authors. Attachments (6) Mingling with our cedars (Cedrus deodara) are some spruce (Picea smithiana) trees. While cedar-wood is one of the most prized for timber, that of spruce is of low quality, used in making packing boxes and planks. Spruce can be identified easily by its drooping branches and individual needles arranged on the stalk (rather than in a bunch on cedar). Though not clear in pictures, spruce needles are quadrangular while cedar’s are triangular in cross-section. Here are some pictures to show the characteristic points. Please correct me if I am wrong.
Himalayan Spruce (Picea smithiana)
Mcleodganj, Dharamshala, HP
12 December 2014
Picea smithiana ……………
Cedrus deodara
Yes, nicely depicted … thanks I found a cone on this one too. It’s a distant shot but shows the cone clear enough. The cone is similar in appearance to a Pinus wallichiana cone but shorter and more dense.
18 March 2015
Attachments (1)
Gymnosperms fortnight :: Pinaceae: Picea simithiana from Paddar valley SKR03 : Attachments (1). 2 posts by 2 authors.
Picea simithiana from Paddar valley J&K
Gymnosperm Fortnight: Picea smithiana: 101213: GSG-04 : 1 image. 4 posts by 4 authors.
Picea smithiana, the Himalayan Spruce, locally known as ‘Rai’, is usually found naturally growing in association with Abies pindrow, usually occupying drier locales. Photographed in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh. Beautiful elongated, hanging cones. I have not seen it as pure large stands in Uttarakhand. Wonderful pictures …
Picea are the Spruces. Family Pinaceae.
Pinaceae genera :
3 Biggest genera Pinus : The pines Abies : The Firs Picea : The spruces. Other genera Cathaya with a single species Cathaya argyrophylla. Cedrus : The Cedars has 4 species. One is Himalayan Larix : The Larches
Tsuga : The hemlocks.
Picea smithiana
West Himalayan Spruce/ Rai/ Morinda Spruce Family – Pinaceae Associated species Pinus wallichiana, Cedrus deodara, Quercus species and Aesculus indica etc. Photographed at Barot, Himachal Pradesh Altitude – 2800metres asl Dated – 6/5/2018
ID Help Needed-Valley of Flowers Trip-Trees- 01 : 7 posts by 2 authors. Attachments (5)
Kindly help me with the identification of this coniferous tree seen between Pulna and Ghangharia in Uttarakhand. Based on the vegetation type and what is commonly seen there, I could narrow it down to the probables which are
1) Picea sp (probably P. smithiana? )
2) Pinus sp (probably P. wallichiana?)
3) Abies sp
I excluded Abies because i guess Abies cones stand up and look very different. My guess is that its either Picea sp or Pinus sp.
I would be greatly indebted if someone could guide me to some good guide on how to identify conifers in the himalayas or if someone could share their knowledge on how to identify conifers especially say a P. smithiana from P. wallichaina… Thanks, … Did your check in efi site?
Yes. I did check the site. I found details on Pinus wallichaina but could find no mention of Picea smithiana. Hence comparison is difficult for me.
Looking at the drawing provided in flora of Pakistan site i feel the images i have sent is of Picea smithiana. Look at the leaf image and the illustrations. Pinus wallichiana should have leaves in clusters of 5 which is not to be seen here. Let me know your thoughts
Pinus wallichiana – http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=5&taxon_id=210001659
Picea smithiana – http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=5&taxon_id=200005321
Illustration – http://www.efloras.org/object_page.aspx?object_id=1256&flora_id=2 Here is the link: /species/m—z/p/pinaceae/picea/picea-smithiana Thanks a lot … I was searching for “Picea” in the search bar where i was not receiving any results… Thanks, …, Unfortunately search is not working properly for past few weeks and no action is being taken by Google despite repeated requests. In such a situation, pl. make google search on species + efloraofindia.
I would like to know the tree for id. the photo is taken at Khanol near Manali, Himachal Pradesh. Would also like to know other ecological information about the plant.
looks like Cedrus deodar, Deodar tree, but very difficult to give correct id, close up of leaf or cone is required for it ….may be Cupressus torulosa a Gymnosperm This one is Picea smithiana (West Himalayan Spruce).
Picea smithiana AT/April 2019/01 : 3 posts by 3 authors. Attachments (2)
Picea smithiana
West Himalayan spruce, Morinda spruce Hindi and local names: Rai Shimla Nov., 2016 what a nice detail of spruce tree’s cones. easily comparable and distinguishable from pine cones Taken at Guna Pani (8500 ft.) on 7/5/07 in Himachal during Sar Pass Trek. One can see the Male & Female (cones) flowers of the tree in the picture.
For more information, please click on the following link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pindrow_Fir
This Tit (Black-throated Tit- Aegithalos concinnus) is very sociable, restless & fussy, invariably found in flocks with other birds like leaf warblers, tree creepers, other Tits, White eyes etc. Mainly eats insects, but also tiny seeds & fruits. I think tree should be Cedrus deodara as per images and details herein. It is very likely Picea smithiana, Himalayan Spruce. No, …, I have checked up. Pl. see the details of both in efi site. Thanks … It’s definitely not Cedrus deodara. The needles are individually arranged in a spiral and cones are drooping, both diagnostic of spruce. Please check. Thanks, …, You are perfectly right. I do not know why I got so confused.
Picea smithiana : 2 posts by 2 authors. Attachments (2)
Picea smithiana Male cones and young female cone     Help me to. Identify this Picea sp.: 4 images.
Location: Kupwara j & k I think Picea smithiana (Wall.) Boiss. as per images and details herein. Yes … ! .
SK 3743 June 2023 – Pinaceae: 3 high res. images. Location: Baglung, West Nepal
Date: 30 May 2023
Elevation 2600m.
Habit : Wild Pl. check Yes May be Not yet sure Just our team member has confirmed the ID as you have suggested.
. References: The Plant List Ver.1.1 WCSP Catalogue of life Flora of Pakistan FoP illustration Flora of China FoC illustration Annotated checklist of Flowering plants of Nepal Wikipedia IUCN Red List (LC) PFAF |
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