Trees of the Northern United States Part 36

Leaves needle-shaped, 1 to 15 in. long, almost cylindric, 2, 3, or 5 together in cl.u.s.ters, with a sheath, more or less persistent, at the base. Flowers monoecious, both staminate and pistillate in catkins, usually insignificant and unnoticeable. In spring. Fruit a cone, persistent and formed of more or less woody, overlapping scales.

* Leaves usually 5 together in bundles. (=A.=)

=A.= Leaves 6 in. or more long, glaucous green and very pendulous 1.

=A.= Leaves under 4 in. long. (=B.=)

=B.= Cones over 10 in. long, on stalks 3 in. long, pendulous when ripe 2.

=B.= Cones 4 to 10 in. long. (=C.=)

=C.= Scales of cones thin, unarmed 3, 4.

=C.= Scales of cones thick and woody, obtuse, 1 in. broad 5.

=B.= Cones under 4 in. long; scales slightly hooked but pointless 6.

* Leaves usually in threes, rarely in twos; scales of cones with spines or p.r.i.c.kles. (=D.=)

=D.= Scales of cones with short, rigid, straight spines; leaves 6 to 10 in. long 7.

=D.= Scales with sharp, bent p.r.i.c.kles. (=E.=)

=E.= Leaves over 5 in. long, sometimes 15 in. long 8, 9.

=E.= Leaves 3 to 5 in. long, rigid and flattened, from short sheaths, 10.

* Leaves usually in twos; cones rarely over 3 in. long. (=F.=)

=F.= Leaves over 3 in. long. (=G.=)

=G.= Cone-scales with dull spines 11.

=G.= With small or minute, persistent p.r.i.c.kles 12, 13, 14.

=G.= With no p.r.i.c.kles, or small ones, early deciduous 15, 16.

=F.= Leaves 3 in. or less long. (=H.=)

=H.= Cone-scales with straight or slightly curved, rigid spines 17.

=H.= Cone-scales with stout, recurved spines 18, 19.

=H.= Cone-scales with small p.r.i.c.kles which are early deciduous 20.

=H.= Cone-scales without spines or p.r.i.c.kles 21, 22.

[Ill.u.s.tration: P. excelsa.]

1. =Pnus excelsa=, Wallich. (BHOTAN PINE.) Leaves in fives, from short, fugacious, overlapping, membranaceous sheaths, 6 to 7 in. long, very slender, of a glaucous-green color, and very pendulous. Cones 6 to 9 in.

long, and 2 in. in diameter, drooping and cl.u.s.tered, with broad, thick, wedge-shaped scales. A large beautiful tree from southern Asia, much subject to blight when planted in this country. Owing to its peculiar drooping branches it has been called the Weeping Fir.

[Ill.u.s.tration: P. Lambertiana.]

2. =Pnus Lambertiana=, Douglas. (LAMBERT'S or SUGAR PINE.) Leaves in fives, 3 to 4 in. long, from short, deciduous sheaths. Cones 12 to 18 in. long and 3 to 4 in. in diameter, gradually tapering to a point, on stalks 3 in. long, brown and pendulous when ripe, without resin; seeds large, oval, nearly 1 in. long, edible. A very large tree (100 to 300 ft. high in California and northward), and seemingly hardy and well worth cultivation in the East. Wood white and soft like that of the White Pine.

[Ill.u.s.tration: P. Strobus.]

3. =Pnus Strobus=, L. (WHITE PINE. WEYMOUTH PINE.) Leaves in fives, 3 to 4 in. long, from a loose, deciduous sheath; slender, soft, and whitish on the under side. Cones 4 to 6 in. long, cylindric, usually curved, with smooth, thin, unarmed scales. Tall (100 to 150 ft. high), very useful tree, of white, soft wood nearly free from resin and more extensively used for lumber than any other American tree. Has been common throughout, but is getting scarce on account of its consumption for lumber.

[Ill.u.s.tration: P. monticola.]

4. =Pnus monticola=, Dougl. (MOUNTAIN-PINE.) Leaves in fives, 3 to 4 in. long, from short, overlapping, very deciduous sheaths; smooth, glaucous green. Cones 7 in. long and 1 in. in diameter, cylindric, smooth, obtuse, short-peduncled, resinous, with loosely overlapping, pointless scales. A large tree, 60 to 80 ft. high, resembling the White Pine, and often considered a variety of it, but the foliage is denser; Pacific coast.

[Ill.u.s.tration: P. flexilis.]

5. =Pnus flexilis=, James. (WESTERN WHITE PINE.) Leaves 2 to 3 in.

long, rigid, entire, acute, densely crowded, sharp-pointed, of a rich dark green color, 5 together in lanceolate, deciduous sheaths. Cones 4 to 6 in. long and half as wide, subcylindric, tapering to the end, semipendulous, cl.u.s.tered. Scales thick, woody, obtuse, loose, 1 in.

broad, yellowish brown. Seeds rather large, with rigid margins instead of wings. A handsome hardy tree from the Pacific Highlands, occasionally cultivated. It resembles the eastern White Pine, but is more compact and of a darker color.

[Ill.u.s.tration: P. Cembra.]

6. =Pnus Cembra=, L. (CEMBRA PINE. SWISS STONE-PINE.) Leaves 3 to 4 in.

long, from a medium-sized deciduous sheath; triangular, rigid, slender, straight, crowded, dark green with a glaucous surface; 5 together. Cones 2 in. by 2 in., ovate, erect, with obtuse, slightly hooked, but pointless scales. Seeds as large as peas and dest.i.tute of wings. A slow-growing, cultivated tree, 40 to 80 ft. high. Forms a regular cone; branches to the ground; Europe; hardy throughout.

[Ill.u.s.tration: P. Taeda.]

7. =Pnus Taeda=, L. (LOBLOLLY OR OLD-FIELD PINE.) Leaves in twos and threes, 6 to 10 in. long, with elongated, close sheaths; slender and of a light green color. Cones in pairs or solitary, lateral, 3 to 4 in.

long, oblong, conical; the scales having short, rigid, straight spines.

A large tree, 50 to 130 ft. high, wild from Delaware, south and west, in swamps and old fields.

[Ill.u.s.tration: P. pondersa.]

8. =Pnus pondersa=, Dougl. (WESTERN YELLOW OR HEAVY-WOODED PINE.) Leaves in threes, 5 to 10 in. long, from short sheaths; broad, coa.r.s.e, twisted, flexible, of a deep green color; branchlets thick, reddish brown. Cones 3 to 4 in. long, ovate, reflexed, cl.u.s.tered on short stems.

Scales long, flattened, with small, sharp, recurved p.r.i.c.kles. A large Pacific coast species, 100 to 300 ft. high, with rather coa.r.s.e-grained, hard and heavy, whitish wood, and thick, deeply furrowed bark; beginning to be cultivated east.

[Ill.u.s.tration: P. paltustris.]

9. =Pnus pal.u.s.tris=, Mill. (LONG-LEAVED OR SOUTHERN YELLOW PINE.) Leaves 3 together in bundles, 10 to 15 in. long, from a long, lacerated, light-colored sheath, of a bright green color, and crowded in dense cl.u.s.ters at the ends of the branches. Cones 6 to 10 in. long, usually cylindric, of a beautiful brown color, with thick scales, armed with very small, slightly recurved p.r.i.c.kles. A rather tall pine, 75 ft. high, wild in the Southern States, and cultivated as far north as New Jersey, in sheltered situations.

[Ill.u.s.tration: P. rigida.]

10. =Pnus rigida=, Mill. (PITCH-PINE.) Leaves in threes, 3 to 5 in.

long, from short sheaths; rigid and flattened. Cones ovate, 1 in. to nearly 4 in. long, sometimes in cl.u.s.ters; scales with a short, recurved p.r.i.c.kle. A medium-sized tree, 40 to 70 ft. high, with hard, coa.r.s.e-grained, very resinous wood; found east of the Alleghanies throughout; more abundant in swamps.

[Ill.u.s.tration: P. Austraca.]

11. =Pnus Austraca=, Hoss. (AUSTRIAN OR BLACK PINE.) Leaves long, 3 to 5 in., rigid, slender, incurved, sharply mucronate, of a dark green color; from short sheaths; 2 together. Cones 2 to 3 in. long, regularly conical, slightly recurved, of a light brown color; scales smooth, shining, with a dull spine in the center. A large cultivated tree, 60 to 80 ft. high, hardy throughout. Europe.