Conifer Tree Characteristics Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What characteristic distinguishes the needle leaves of Abies procera?

Needles are darker green on top

Needles have prominent stomatal lines only on the underside

Needles are hockey stick shaped at the base (correct)

Needles are uniformly round in cross-section

Which of the following statements is true regarding the cones of Pseudotsuga menziesii?

The bracts are not visible over the scales

The cones are short and needle-like

The female cones are upright with persistent scales (correct)

The female cones have smooth, rounded bracts

What is a notable feature of the cones of Abies procera?

Cones are short with loosely attached scales

They are long and triangular-pointed at the tips

They contain a significant number of seeds in each cone

They have a cylindrical shape and are upright (correct)

Which characteristic best describes the leaf structure of Tsuga heterophylla?

Leaves are long and needle-like with a soft texture Signup and view all the answers

What is a distinguishing feature of the bark of the first spruce mentioned?

Bark is often coppery and cracks into round plates Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary leaf shape of Taxus baccata?

Flat and dark green Signup and view all the answers

Which tree produces cones that take two years to mature?

Pinus sylvestris Signup and view all the answers

What type of leaf arrangement do the leaves of Metasequoia glyptostroboides exhibit?

Opposite arrangement Signup and view all the answers

What is the shape and structure of the leaves of Picea sitchensis?

Stiff, sharp, and needle-like with a flattened cross-section Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following characteristics describes the cones of Picea sitchensis?

Small, pendulous, and slender cylindrical Signup and view all the answers

Which species has leaves that are described as having a bluish-green glaucous color?

Pinus sylvestris Signup and view all the answers

What is a distinct feature of the cones in Sequoiadendron giganteum?

They can mature in 18–20 months. Signup and view all the answers

How does the bark of Picea sitchensis differ from that of Picea abies?

Picea sitchensis has thin, scaly bark that flakes off Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following species produces large, brown, ovoid cones that can reach up to 20 cm?

Pinus radiata Signup and view all the answers

What distinct feature do the leaves of Picea sitchensis have on their undersides?

They have two dense bands of stomata Signup and view all the answers

Which statement is true regarding the leaves of Picea abies?

They are needle-like with blunt tips and quadrangular in cross-section Signup and view all the answers

What characteristic of the bark is associated with Cupressus macrocarpa?

It is pointed and has a lemony scent Signup and view all the answers

Which species has leaves that are poisonous?

Taxus baccata Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Coniferous Species

Coniferous species are a type of tree.
The presented list includes various coniferous species like Picea sitchensis, Picea abies, Abies procera, Pseudotsuga menziesii, Taxus baccata, Pinus sylvestris, Pinus radiata, Metasequoia glyptostroboides, Sequoiadendron giganteum, Cupressus macrocarpa, Chamaecyparis lawsoniana, × Cupressocyparis leylandii, and Thuja plicata.

Practical 4 & Campus Walkabout

This section lists various coniferous species.
There is a practical activity related to these species.
A campus walkabout is also mentioned, possibly an activity to observe these species in their natural habitat. Practical 4 might refer to an activity, assignment/practical exercise/observation related to the coniferous trees

Observation Sheet

This sheet is used to take notes on the species observations during the walkabout.
Data point categories include leaf (shape, positioning, colour, margins, hairs, veination), twigs/branches (colour, bark surface, buds), mature tree form (excurrent, decurrent, main stem bark colour, texture), and other notes (personal observations).

Terminology

This section provides botanical terminology used to describe various plant structures
Information includes terms like "Acicular leaves", "Aril", "Awl", "Bipinnate", "Fascicle", "Glaucus", "Pulvini", "Pome", "Drupe", "Achene", "Samara", "Paired leaf-like stipules", "Corymbs", "Cyme flowers", "Panicles", "Tomentous", "Short leafy/woody involucre". These relate to leaf shapes, fruiting bodies, bark characteristics, and details of appearance.

Picea sitchensis

Leaves are stiff, needle-like, flattened in cross-section, dark blue-green above, blue-white underneath with prominent stomatal bands
Shoots are pale brown/nearly white and smooth
Cones are small and pendulous
Bark is thin and scaly, flakes off in circular plates.

Picea abies

Shoots are orange-brown and smooth
Leaves are needle-like, quadrangular in cross-section, dark green on all four sides
Cones are long, pointy/triangular, and longest amongst spruce species.
Bark often coppery, cracks into round plates.

Abies procera

Needles are blue-green with whitish stomatal lines on both upper and lower surfaces.
Needles are 2.5-3.5 cm long, hockey stick shaped at the base, spreading into two rows.
The needles are flat, grooved above, slightly notched at apex and curve upward, mostly flat on lower branches but conspicuously 4-sided on mid and upper branches.
Leaf attachment is to the twigs
Cones are 5-10 cm long, cylindrical, upright, purple scales mostly hidden by long bract scales..

Pseudotsuga menziesii

Leaves are flat, soft, linear, resembling fir leaves, and appear singly, spread out along branches.
Female cones are pendulous, with persistent scales and lengthy, three-pointed bracts projecting over scales.
Buds are sharp-tipped, and orange-brown
Have a pleasant resinous scent.

Tsuga heterophylla

Crown is broad conical, drooping.
Leaves are needle-like, soft, flat, with rounded tips.
Crushed leaves have a grapefruit smell.
There are two white stomatal bands underneath each needle
Cones are small, unstalked, pendulous, and slenderly cylindrical.

Taxus baccata

Leaves are flat, dark green, arranged in a spiral pattern on the stem.
Leaf bases are twisted to arrange leaves in two flat rows along stem, except on erect leading shoots.
Leaves are poisonous.
Seed cones are modified, each with a single seed enveloped by a red berry-like structure (aril).
Bark is thin, scaly, and light brown.
Stem is often fluted

Pinus sylvestris

Shoots are light brown, with a spiral arrangement of scale-like needles.
Leaves are acicular, glaucous blue-green, stiff, and twisted.
Leaves grow in fascicles of two with a persistent gray basal sheath.
Leaf persistence generally lasts for 2-4 years in temperate zones, but up to 10 years in boreal regions.
Bark is thick and scaly dark brown on the lower trunk.
Bark becomes thin, flaky and orange on the upper trunk and branches.
Cones take two years to mature.

Pinus radiata

Leaves are bright green, growing in clusters of 3, slender and long with blunt tips, slightly twisted.
All surfaces have fine stomatal lines visible.
Leaf margins are serrulate.
Cones are broad, large, 20 cm in length, brown, ovoid, and are placed asymmetrically on the branches.

Metasequoia glyptostroboides

Deciduous conifer
Leaves are compound and opposite on the deciduous branchlets.
Leaves are vibrant green, turning reddish-brown in autumn.
Leaf structure/arrangement resembles a feathery bi-pinnately compound leaf.
Bark is vertically fissured, and sheds in ribbon-like strips.
Distinctive "armpit" structure beneath each branch
Cones are globose to ovoid

Sequoiadendron giganteum

Leaves are evergreen, scale-like, awl-shaped (sharp), and arranged in a spiral on shoots.
Seed cones have 30-50 spirally arranged scales, with several seeds per scale.
Seed cones mature in 18-20 months, but often remain green for up to 20 years.
Stem bark is fibrous, furrowed, and quite thick towards the tree base.

Cupressus macrocarpa

Leaves are scale-like, pointed but pressed close to the stem.
Lemon scent with no visible white markings.
Shoots grow in dense rounded (3D) sprays, not flattened
Seed cones are globose to oblong, up to 3 cm in length.
Cones mature in 2 years.
Bark is grey-brown, soft, with criss-cross ridges.

Chamaecyparis lawsoniana

Leaves are scale-like with narrow white markings on the underside (prominent gland, X-shape).
Leaves are free-pointed.
Evergreen foliage in sprays (i.e., flattened shoots)
Topmost leader often leans (Leyland lean)
Foliage has a parsley scent.
Bark is reddish, spongy.
Pea-sized cones are globose, and mature within a year.
Male cones tend to be a deep red in spring.

× Cupressocyparis leylandii

Leaves are scale-like, growing in flat sprays, sticking out at various angles.
Leaves have sharp straight tips and lack white markings.
Topmost leader often leans (Lawson droop).
Has a pungent acrid resinous smell (similar to Lawson parsley).
Small, round brown cones.
Hybrid between Monterey and Nootka cypress.
Introduced as ornamental plants, but can grow very fast.

Thuja plicata

Leaves are scale-like, in opposite pairs (4 per node), sharp but slightly curved.
Leaves have whitish stomatal streaks below (butterfly pattern).
Flat sprays of foliage, with a strong aromatic (pineapple-like) scent.
Seed cones are slender, flask-shaped, mature in about 1 year.
Male cones are red at first.
Opening occurs in spring, while the bark is fibrous, soft, and longitudinally fissured

Coniferous Checklist

A list of keywords for coniferous tree identification. (e.g., Achene, Aril, etc.).

Campus Walkabout - Tree Tour

This category notes details about observing trees on a campus tour, including features like; tree form (e.g., open-grown vs. stand, open, excurrent/decurrent), branching pattern, trunk structure (e.g., fluted, buttresses at base), bark appearance (e.g., fissured vs smooth, flakes, scales), Crown light conditions, leaf descriptions (simple/compound, scales/needles/whorled). Also included is mention of ash dieback.

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Description

Test your knowledge on the distinguishing features of various conifer trees, including their leaves, cones, and bark. This quiz covers species such as Abies, Pseudotsuga, and Tsuga, focusing on their unique attributes and classifications.