FA Exhibit ID-003

Spruce or fir: roll a needle

Two sourced specimen panels compare the four-sided needles of Engelmann spruce with the flattened needles of subalpine fir. A schematic section shows why the spruce needle rolls between fingertips while the fir needle stays flat. — FA Exhibit ID-003. Spruce or fir: roll a needle. Morphology from USFS FEIS PICENG and ABILAS. Specimens after Sudworth 1908, figs. 29 and 38, public domain. Identification only — no flammability claim. Confirm uncertain material with a regional key or a botanist. CC BY 4.0.

Technical review: Grayson Graham. Last verified 2026-08-25. JSON

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