Picea sitchensis
260. 1855.
Trees to 80m; trunk to 5m diam.; crown narrowly conic. Bark grayish brown to orangebrown. Branches somewhat drooping; twigs not pendent, rather stout, pinkish brown, glabrous. Buds reddish-brown, 5–10mm, apex rounded. Leaves (1.2–) 1.5–2.5 (–3) cm, flattened or broadly triangular in cross-section (abaxial surface rounded or slightly angular), rather rigid, blue-green to light yellow-green, abaxial surface darker green with stomatal bands very narrow or absent, adaxial surface glaucous with conspicuous stomatal bands separated by ridge, apex sharp-pointed. Seed-cones 5–9 (–10) cm; scales variable, elliptic to narrowly diamond-shaped, 15–22 × 12–16mm, rather rigid, margin at apex erose, apex extending 4–8mm beyond seed-wing impression. 2n =24.
Habitat: Pacific coastal forests
Elevation: 0–900m
Distribution
B.C., Alaska, Calif., Oreg., Wash.
Discussion
Picea sitchensis intergrades extensively with P. glauca in the river inlets of north coastal British Columbia and coastal Alaska. The name P. × lutzii Little is applied to hybrids between the two species (R.Daubenmire 1968).
Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) is the state tree of Alaska.