Picea sitchensis
260. 1855.
Trees to 80m; trunk to 5m diam.; crown narrowly conic. Bark grayish brown to orange-brown. 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.