• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
• /
• v.108 no.2
• /
• pp.200-207
• /
• 2019

The aim of this study was to provide the basic information necessary to identify Korean fir (Abies holophylla), momi fir (A. firma), and Nikko fir (A. homolepis), and other fir trees planted in South Korea that are protected by law. Analysis of the morphological characteristics of the needles from each sample was investigated. The shape of the needle-leaf tip from A. holophylla was acute, whereas that from A. firma and A. homolepis was emarginate and that from the protected fir trees was obtuse. The number of stomata on the needles was not significantly different between A. holophylla and A. firma, and the number of stomata on the needles from A. homolepis and the protected fir trees were highly similar. In addition, the genetic differences among the Abies species were analyzed using the sequences of five chloroplast DNA regions-matK, atpF-atpH, rpoC2-rps2, rpoC1, and psbA-trnH.The atpF-atpH and psbA-trnH regions were useful for discriminating A. firma from the other species, but there were no differences among A. holophylla, A. homolepis, and the protected fir trees. The same chloroplast sequences were found in both A. holophylla and A. homolepis, which suggests that additional genetic studies might be necessary to identify the Abies species planted in both South Korea and Japan.