Bad-smelling Alkanet vs Cilician Fir

Alkanna maleolens compared with Abies cilicica

Key Differences

• Bad-smelling Alkanet is Critically Endangered while Cilician Fir is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Bad-smelling Alkanet	Cilician Fir
Kingdom same	Plantae (植物)	Plantae (植物)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (木兰植物门)	Coniferophyta (Conifers)
Class	Magnoliopsida (木兰纲)	Pinopsida (松柏纲)
Order	Boraginales (紫草目)	Pinales (松柏目)
Family	Boraginaceae	Pinaceae (Pine Family)
Genus	Alkanna	Abies
Species	Alkanna maleolens	Abies cilicica

Evolutionary Relationship

Bad-smelling Alkanet and Cilician Fir share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Plantae. (植物)

Conservation Status

Bad-smelling Alkanet

CR — Critically Endangered

Cilician Fir

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Bad-smelling Alkanet	Cilician Fir
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Bad-smelling Alkanet

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Cilician Fir

Habitat

Typically found in temperate and boreal forests, often at higher elevations.

Range

Found in Sweden. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Bad-smelling Alkanet

The Bad-smelling Alkanet (Alkanna maleolens) is a species in the genus Alkanna. It is currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Cilician Fir

Cilician fir (Abies cilicica) is a large conifer in the family Pinaceae, native to the Taurus and Anti-Taurus mountains of southern Turkey and the mountain ranges of Lebanon and Syria, including Mount Lebanon and the Ansariyah range. It grows at elevations between approximately 1,000 and 2,400 meters in cool, moist montane forests, often forming pure stands or mixing with cedar of Lebanon (Cedrus libani), oriental beech (Fagus orientalis), and other conifers. Trees can reach 30 meters in height with a conical crown and upswept branches bearing glossy, dark green needles. The species is classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN, reflecting ongoing habitat pressures including deforestation, overgrazing, charcoal production, and the long-term effects of climate change reducing precipitation in the eastern Mediterranean. Populations in Syria and Lebanon have been severely reduced by historical forest clearance and remain highly fragmented. Turkish populations in the Taurus and Anti-Taurus are more extensive and partly protected within national parks and forest reserves. Cilician fir forests provide critical watershed protection, biodiversity habitat, and climate regulation services in a region facing intensifying water stress. Reforestation efforts using native seed sources and protection of remaining natural stands are priority conservation actions. The species is occasionally cultivated as an ornamental in European gardens.