Vietnamese White Pine

Taxobox
name = Vietnamese White Pine
status = DD
status_system = IUCN3.1
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Pinophyta
classis = Pinopsida
ordo = Pinales
familia = Pinaceae
genus = "Pinus"
subgenus = "Strobus"
sectio = "Quinquefoliae"
subsectio = "Strobi"
species = "P. dalatensis"
binomial = "Pinus dalatensis"
binomial_authority = Ferré

The Vietnamese White Pine ("Pinus dalatensis") is a species of pine endemic to Vietnam, where it grows in the mountains of the central and south-central parts of the country at 1,400-2,300 m altitude.Businský, R. (1999). Study of Pinus dalatensis Ferré and of the enigmatic "Pin du Moyen Annam". "Candollea" 54: 125-143.] Farjon, A. (2005). "Pines". Brill ISBN 90-04-13916-8.]

It is a medium-sized evergreen tree growing to 30-40 m tall. It 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 (3-)5-14 cm long. The cones are slender, 6-23 cm long and 2-4 cm broad (closed), opening to 3-9 cm broad; the scales are thin and flexible. The seeds are small, 6-8 mm long, and have a long slender wing 18-25 mm long. It is most closely related to the Blue Pine "Pinus wallichiana" from the Himalaya.

It is divided into two subspecies:
*"Pinus dalatensis" subsp. "dalatensis". Dalat region, between 11°50'N and 12°30'N. Cones 6-17 cm long.
*"Pinus dalatensis" subsp. "procera" Businský. Central Vietnam, between 15°00'N and 16°20'N. Cones 13-23 cm long.

References

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