- Chihuahua White Pine
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Chihuahua White Pine
Pinus strobiformisConservation status Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae Division: Pinophyta Class: Pinopsida Order: Pinales Family: Pinaceae Genus: Pinus Subgenus: Strobus Species: P. strobiformis Binomial name Pinus strobiformis
Engelm.The Chihuahua White Pine, Pinus strobiformis, family Pinaceae, is a species of pine tree that occurs in the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains of Northern Mexico, from a short distance south of the United States border south through Chihuahua and Durango to Jalisco.
It is typically a high-elevation pine, often growing mixed with several other pine species. In favourable conditions, it makes a tree to 30 m, rarely 40 m tall.
Contents
Description
Chihuahua White Pine, Pinus strobiformis, is a member of the white pine group, Pinus subgenus Strobus, and like all members of that group, the leaves ('needles') are in fascicles (bundles) of five, with a deciduous sheath. The needles are finely serrated, and 8-14 cm long.
The cones are very large, 16-50 cm long and 9-11 cm broad, and have scales with a very characteristic prolonged and often recurved or S-shaped apex. The seeds are large, and with a very short wing; they are dispersed mainly by birds, particularly the Mexican Jay. It is a very drought tolerant tree but greater populations grow on moist and cool places living in association with Pinus hartwegii and Pinus rudis.
Taxonomy
Chihuahua White Pine, Pinus strobiformis, has frequently been confused with the Arizona and New Mexico populations of Limber Pine, Pinus flexilis var. reflexa or Pinus reflexa. These latter, often known in English as Southwestern White Pine,[1] are often listed as Pinus strobiformis, but differ from true Pinus strobiformis in having shorter needles, 6-11 cm long, which are only slightly serrated towards the tips of the needles rather than serrated along the full length; and smaller, narrower cones, typically 10-20 cm long and 6-8 cm broad, the cone scales not having a very prolonged apex; the seeds are also slightly smaller. It is possible that Pinus reflexa is a natural hybrid between Pinus flexilis and Pinus strobiformis.
Type localities of the taxa are:
- Pinus reflexa: Santa Catalina Mountains 40 km east of Tucson, Arizona
- Pinus strobiformis: Cusihuiráchic, 90 km southwest of the city of Chihuahua, in the south of the state of Chihuahua
Uses
The seeds were used as a food by Native Americans in the present day Southwestern United States.
The wood is used in Mexico for furniture and doors.
References
- Conifer Specialist Group (1998). Pinus strobiformis. 2006. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. www.iucnredlist.org. Retrieved on 12 May 2006.
External links
Categories:- IUCN Red List least concern species
- Pinus
- Trees of Northeastern Mexico
- Trees of Chihuahua
- Trees of Durango
- Flora of Northeastern Mexico
- Edible nuts and seeds
- Least concern plants
- Native American cuisine
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