Abies nebrodensis

Abies nebrodensis (Lojac.) Mattei

Family: Pinaceae

Common name: Nebrodi fir

An evergreen tree endemic to Sicily, reaching heights between 10 and 18 meters. It has linear, rigid leaves and mature female cones that are upright and can be up to 20 cm long.

In the past, this species was more widespread in Sicily than it is today. At the beginning of the 20th century, this plant was considered extinct, but a small number of young trees were later found in 1957 in the Madonie Mountains. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists the Nebrodi fir among the 50 species most at risk of extinction in Italy. However, seed collection and repopulation programs conducted by the State Forestry Corps seem to have prevented, at least for now, the risk of this species disappearing.