Foxtail Pine
Encyclopedia
The Foxtail Pine is a rare pine
that is endemic to California
, United States
, where it is found in two areas with a separate subspecies in each, the typical subsp. balfouriana in the Klamath Mountains
, and subsp. austrina in the southern Sierra Nevada.
to 10–20 m (32.8–65.6 ft) tall, exceptionally 35 m (114.8 ft), and up to 2 m (7 ft) in trunk diameter. The leaves
are needle-like, in bundles of five (or sometimes four, in the southern Sierra) with a semi-persistent basal sheath, and 2–4 cm (0.78740157480315–1.6 in) long, deep glossy green on the outer face, and white on the inner faces; they persist for 10–15 years. The cones
are 6-11 cm (2 - 4 in) long, dark purple ripening red-brown, with soft, flexible scales each with a one millimetre central prickle.
, and at 2300–3500 m (7,545.9–11,482.9 ft) in the Sierra Nevada. In the Sierra Nevada, Foxtail pines are limited to the area around Sequoia
and Kings Canyon National Park
s. In both areas, it is often a tree line species.
s, being classified in the same subsection Balfourianae; it has been hybridised with the Great Basin Bristlecone Pine in cultivation, though no hybrids have ever been found in the wild.
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
that is endemic to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where it is found in two areas with a separate subspecies in each, the typical subsp. balfouriana in the Klamath Mountains
Klamath Mountains
The Klamath Mountains, which include the Siskiyou, Marble, Scott, Trinity, Trinity Alps, Salmon, and northern Yolla-Bolly Mountains, are a rugged lightly populated mountain range in northwest California and southwest Oregon in the United States...
, and subsp. austrina in the southern Sierra Nevada.
Description
Foxtail Pine is a treeTree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
to 10–20 m (32.8–65.6 ft) tall, exceptionally 35 m (114.8 ft), and up to 2 m (7 ft) in trunk diameter. The leaves
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
are needle-like, in bundles of five (or sometimes four, in the southern Sierra) with a semi-persistent basal sheath, and 2–4 cm (0.78740157480315–1.6 in) long, deep glossy green on the outer face, and white on the inner faces; they persist for 10–15 years. The cones
Conifer cone
A cone is an organ on plants in the division Pinophyta that contains the reproductive structures. The familiar woody cone is the female cone, which produces seeds. The male cones, which produce pollen, are usually herbaceous and much less conspicuous even at full maturity...
are 6-11 cm (2 - 4 in) long, dark purple ripening red-brown, with soft, flexible scales each with a one millimetre central prickle.
Distribution
Foxtail Pine occurs in the subalpine forest at an elevation of 1950–2750 m (6,397.6–9,022.3 ft) in the Klamath MountainsKlamath Mountains
The Klamath Mountains, which include the Siskiyou, Marble, Scott, Trinity, Trinity Alps, Salmon, and northern Yolla-Bolly Mountains, are a rugged lightly populated mountain range in northwest California and southwest Oregon in the United States...
, and at 2300–3500 m (7,545.9–11,482.9 ft) in the Sierra Nevada. In the Sierra Nevada, Foxtail pines are limited to the area around Sequoia
Sequoia National Park
Sequoia National Park is a national park in the southern Sierra Nevada east of Visalia, California, in the United States. It was established on September 25, 1890. The park spans . Encompassing a vertical relief of nearly , the park contains among its natural resources the highest point in the...
and Kings Canyon National Park
Kings Canyon National Park
Kings Canyon National Park is a National Park in the southern Sierra Nevada, east of Fresno, California. The park was established in 1940 and covers...
s. In both areas, it is often a tree line species.
Age
It is thought that Foxtail Pines can live up to 3000 years in the Sierra Nevada, although the highest currently proven age is 2110 years. In the Klamath Mountains, ages are only known to about 1000 years.Related species
The Foxtail Pine is closely related to the bristlecone pineBristlecone pine
The bristlecone pines are a small group of pine trees that are thought to reach an age far greater than that of any other single living organism known, up to nearly 5,000 years....
s, being classified in the same subsection Balfourianae; it has been hybridised with the Great Basin Bristlecone Pine in cultivation, though no hybrids have ever been found in the wild.
External links
- Arboretum de Villardebelle Photos of cones
- Gymnosperm Database - Pinus balfouriana
- Gymnosperm Database - Pinus balfouriana subsp. austrina
- USFS FEIS Introduction to Foxtail pines
- USDA Plants Profile CA Map:
- High Elevation White Pine Educational Website: Pinus balfouriana
- Foxtail Pines in Northwest California