PINACEAE

PINE FAMILY

James R. Griffin

Tree or shrub, monoecious, evergreen
Stem: young crown conic; twig not grooved, resinous, generally persistent
Leaves simple, generally alternate, sometimes in bundles or appearing ± 2-ranked, linear or awl-like; bases decurrent, sometimes woody, persistent several years
Pollen cone generally < 6 cm, not woody, deciduous
Seed cone generally woody; bracts, scales generally persistent; scale not peltate, fused to or free from subtending bract
Seeds 2, on upper side of scale base
Genera in family: 10 genera, 193 species: mostly n hemisphere; many of great commercial value, supplying > half of world's timber
Reference: [Price 1989 J Arnold Arbor 70:247–305]

PINUS

PINE

Stem: young crown conic, mature crown often rounded or flat; branches ± whorled in young plants; young bark smooth, mature bark furrowed; bud ± conic, generally resinous
Leaves generally 2.5–35 cm, generally sessile, in bundles of 1–5; bundles solitary in axils of alternate, awl-like bracts, each bundle enclosed at base in a sometimes deciduous sheath of bracts, generally persistent several seasons
Seed cones often whorled, generally maturing and opening 2nd season, sometimes persistent on stem; stalk 0 or < 16 cm; bract included, fused to scale, minute; scale tip reflexed and elongated 3–7 cm, or often with a rounded or angled, often prickled knob < 3 cm
Seed: coat hard, sometimes woody
Chromosomes: 2n=24 for all reports
Species in genus: 94 species: n hemisphere
Etymology: (Latin: pine)
Reference: [Millar & Critchfield 1988 Madroño 35:39–53]

Native

P. flexilis E. James

LIMBER PINE

Stem: trunk < 20 m, 2.9 m wide; mature bark dark brown, deeply furrowed, forming rectangular plates; mature crown branches sometimes reaching ground
Leaves 5 per bundle, 2–9 cm, in dense tufts of bundles at branch ends, stiff, generally curved; sheath deciduous
Seed cone pendent, 7–20 cm, oblong, yellow-brown, opening late 2nd season; stalk < 2 cm; scales ± thickened near tips, angled
Seed: wing generally persistent on scale
Ecology: Lodgepole, subalpine, bristlecone forests
Elevation: < 3700 m.
Bioregional distribution: High Sierra Nevada, Transverse Ranges, Peninsular Ranges, East of Sierra Nevada, n Desert Mountains
Distribution outside California: to w Canada, South Dakota, New Mexico
Horticultural information: DRN : 1, 4, 6, 15, 16, 17 &IRR: 2, 3, 7, 10, 14, 18, 19.