Big-Cone Spruce (Pseudotsuga macrocarpa, Mayr.)-A broadly pyramidal tree, 40 to 80 feet high, with stout trunk, pendulous lower limbs, and erect upper cones. Branchlets slender. Bark scaly, thick, reddish brown, furrowed, with rounded ridges. Wood brown, hard, heavy, strong, not durable. Buds ovate, small, scaly. Leaves linear, sharp pointed, spreading or 2-ranked, dark bluish grey, 3/4 to 1 1/2 inches long. Flowers cone-like, staminate yellow in shining, scaly involucre; pistillate green tinged with red. Fruit usually on upper branches, 4 to 7 inches long, oblongcylindrical, scales often 2 inches across, thin, entire; bracts scarcely as long as scales. Preferred habitat, mountain slopes. Distribution, southern California, in San Bernardino Mountains, at altitude of 3,000 to 5,000 feet. Uses: Wood used for fuel; sparingly for lumber.
Big-Cone Spruce (Pseudotsuga macrocarpa, Mayr.)-A broadly pyramidal tree, 40 to 80 feet high, with stout trunk, pendulous lower limbs, and erect upper cones. Branchlets slender. Bark scaly, thick, reddish brown, furrowed, with rounded ridges. Wood brown, hard, heavy, strong, not durable. Buds ovate, small, scaly. Leaves linear, sharp pointed, spreading or 2-ranked, dark bluish grey, 3/4 to 1 1/2 inches long. Flowers cone-like, staminate yellow in shining, scaly involucre; pistillate green tinged with red. Fruit usually on upper branches, 4 to 7 inches long, oblongcylindrical, scales often 2 inches across, thin, entire; bracts scarcely as long as scales. Preferred habitat, mountain slopes. Distribution, southern California, in San Bernardino Mountains, at altitude of 3,000 to 5,000 feet. Uses: Wood used for fuel; sparingly for lumber.