Chihuahua White Pine

Chihuahua White Pine Pinus strobiformis
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 2.3)
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.

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

1. ^ Moore, Gerry; Kershner, Bruce; Craig Tufts; Daniel Mathews; Gil Nelson; Spellenberg, Richard; Thieret, John W.; Terry Purinton; Block, Andrew (2008). National Wildlife Federation Field Guide to Trees of North America. New York: Sterling. p. 83. ISBN 1-4027-3875-7. 

• 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

• Pinus strobiformis cone pics; compare also Pinus reflexa and Pinus flexilis (scroll ¼ way down page)