>From Tim Keenan Del et al--Re spruce hybrids. I suspect that the hybrid of which you speak is between Picea engelmannii (Engelmann Spruce) and Picea glauca (Eastern White spruce). These species hybridize freely where their native ranges overlap in Alberta and north-central British Columbia. The properties of their wood are very similar, and even a trained eye with a 20x hand lens has difficulty telling wood samples apart. They are what is known in forest genetics as an east-west species pair--they were probably a single species in recent evolutionary time, but were isolated during the ice ages and diverged genetically enough to be recognizably distinct. There are several such pairs, another of which is lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) and jackpine (Pinus banksiana). There has been some interest among tree improvement specialists in the hybrids, because, as is often the case, there appears to be some extra vigo(u)r associated with hybridization. Just thought you might be interested--I used to work in forest tree improvement genetics, as well as boreal forest ecology. tkeenan@kermode.net Tim Keenan Terrace, BC
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