Parry Pinyon
Encyclopedia
Pinus quadrifolia, the Parry Pinyon, is a pine
in the pinyon pine
group, native to southernmost California
in the United States
and northern Baja California
in Mexico
, from 33° 30' N south to 30° 30' N. It occurs at moderate altitudes from 1300 metres (4,265.1 ft) to 1800 metres (5,905.5 ft), rarely as low as 1200 metres (3,937 ft) and as high as 2500 metres (8,202.1 ft). It is scarce and often scattered in this region, forming open woodlands, usually mixed with juniper
s.
, reaching 8 metres (26.2 ft) to 15 metres (49.2 ft) tall and with a trunk diameter of up to 40 centimetres (15.7 in), rarely more. The bark is thick, rough and scaly. The leaves
('needles') are in fascicles of 4–5, moderately stout, 2.5 centimetre (0.984251968503937 in) - 5.5 centimetres (2.2 in) long; glossy dark green with no stomata on the outer face, and a dense bright white band of stomata on the inner surfaces. The cones
are globose, 4 centimetres (1.6 in) - 5.5 centimetres (2.2 in) long and broad when closed, green at first, ripening yellow to orange-buff when 18–20 months old, with only a small number of thick scales, with typically 5–10 fertile scales.
The cone
s open to 5 centimetres (2 in) to 7 centimetres (2.8 in) broad when mature, holding the seed
s on the scales after opening. The seeds are 10 millimetre (0.393700787401575 in) - 14 millimetre (0.551181102362205 in) long, with a thin shell, a white endosperm
, and a vestigial 1 millimetre (0.0393700787401575 in) - 2 millimetre (0.078740157480315 in) wing; they are dispersed by the Pinyon Jay
, which plucks the seeds out of the open cones. The jay, which uses the seeds as a food resource, stores many of the seeds for later use, and some of these stored seeds are not used and are able to grow into new trees.
where their ranges meet in southern California and northern Baja California; the hybrids are distinguished by intermediate features, with needles usually fascicles of 2–3 with some stomata on the outer surface. It has been suggested by some botanists that the holotype
specimen of P. quadrifolia is itself from a hybrid; presumed pure, non-hybrid specimens having been given a new name Pinus juarezensis (Juarez Pinyon, after the Sierra Juarez mountains of northern Baja California). However, there is no proof that these specimens are genetically 'purer' than the original type specimen, and few botanists accept P. juarezensis as other than a synonym of P. quadrifolia.
Despite the ease of hybridisation with Single-leaf Pinyon, Parry Pinyon is genetically probably more closely related to the Johann's Pinyon
and Potosi Pinyon
, despite being separated from them by well over 1000 kilometres (621.4 mi).
s, are collected throughout its range, though it is much less important than Colorado Pinyon
for the crop. Parry Pinyon is also occasionally planted as an ornamental tree and sometimes used as a christmas tree
. Due to the limited distribution of the species, the seeds of the Parry Pinyon are not gathered commercially. Instead, they are generally consumed by birds, rodents and other mammals.
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:...
in the pinyon pine
Pinyon pine
The pinyon pine group grows in the southwestern United States and in Mexico. The trees yield edible pinyon nuts, which were a staple of the Native Americans, and are still widely eaten...
group, native to southernmost 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...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and northern Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, from 33° 30' N south to 30° 30' N. It occurs at moderate altitudes from 1300 metres (4,265.1 ft) to 1800 metres (5,905.5 ft), rarely as low as 1200 metres (3,937 ft) and as high as 2500 metres (8,202.1 ft). It is scarce and often scattered in this region, forming open woodlands, usually mixed with juniper
Juniper
Junipers are coniferous plants in the genus Juniperus of the cypress family Cupressaceae. Depending on taxonomic viewpoint, there are between 50-67 species of juniper, widely distributed throughout the northern hemisphere, from the Arctic, south to tropical Africa in the Old World, and to the...
s.
Description
Pinus quadrifolia is a small to medium size 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...
, reaching 8 metres (26.2 ft) to 15 metres (49.2 ft) tall and with a trunk diameter of up to 40 centimetres (15.7 in), rarely more. The bark is thick, rough and scaly. 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....
('needles') are in fascicles of 4–5, moderately stout, 2.5 centimetre (0.984251968503937 in) - 5.5 centimetres (2.2 in) long; glossy dark green with no stomata on the outer face, and a dense bright white band of stomata on the inner surfaces. 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 globose, 4 centimetres (1.6 in) - 5.5 centimetres (2.2 in) long and broad when closed, green at first, ripening yellow to orange-buff when 18–20 months old, with only a small number of thick scales, with typically 5–10 fertile scales.
The cone
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...
s open to 5 centimetres (2 in) to 7 centimetres (2.8 in) broad when mature, holding the seed
Seed
A seed is a small embryonic plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat, usually with some stored food. It is the product of the ripened ovule of gymnosperm and angiosperm plants which occurs after fertilization and some growth within the mother plant...
s on the scales after opening. The seeds are 10 millimetre (0.393700787401575 in) - 14 millimetre (0.551181102362205 in) long, with a thin shell, a white endosperm
Endosperm
Endosperm is the tissue produced inside the seeds of most flowering plants around the time of fertilization. It surrounds the embryo and provides nutrition in the form of starch, though it can also contain oils and protein. This makes endosperm an important source of nutrition in human diet...
, and a vestigial 1 millimetre (0.0393700787401575 in) - 2 millimetre (0.078740157480315 in) wing; they are dispersed by the Pinyon Jay
Pinyon Jay
The Pinyon Jay is a jay between the North American Blue Jay and the Eurasian Jay in size. It is the only member of the genus Gymnorhinus, . Its overall proportions are very Nutcracker-like and indeed this can be seen as convergent evolution as both birds fill similar ecological niches...
, which plucks the seeds out of the open cones. The jay, which uses the seeds as a food resource, stores many of the seeds for later use, and some of these stored seeds are not used and are able to grow into new trees.
Hybrids
Pinus quadrifolia frequently hybridises with Single-leaf PinyonSingle-leaf Pinyon
The Single-leaf Pinyon, ', is a pine in the pinyon pine group, native to the United States and northwest Mexico. The range is in southernmost Idaho, western Utah, Arizona, southwest New Mexico, Nevada, eastern and southern California and northern Baja California.It occurs at moderate altitudes from...
where their ranges meet in southern California and northern Baja California; the hybrids are distinguished by intermediate features, with needles usually fascicles of 2–3 with some stomata on the outer surface. It has been suggested by some botanists that the holotype
Holotype
A holotype is a single physical example of an organism, known to have been used when the species was formally described. It is either the single such physical example or one of several such, but explicitly designated as the holotype...
specimen of P. quadrifolia is itself from a hybrid; presumed pure, non-hybrid specimens having been given a new name Pinus juarezensis (Juarez Pinyon, after the Sierra Juarez mountains of northern Baja California). However, there is no proof that these specimens are genetically 'purer' than the original type specimen, and few botanists accept P. juarezensis as other than a synonym of P. quadrifolia.
Despite the ease of hybridisation with Single-leaf Pinyon, Parry Pinyon is genetically probably more closely related to the Johann's Pinyon
Johann's Pinyon
Pinus johannis, the Johann's Pinyon, is a pine in the pinyon pine group, native to North America. The range extends from southeast Arizona and southwest New Mexico, United States, south in Mexico along the Sierra Madre Occidental and the Sierra Madre Oriental to southern Zacatecas and San Luis Potosí...
and Potosi Pinyon
Potosi Pinyon
Pinus culminicola, commonly known as Potosi Pinyon, is a pine in the pinyon pine group, native and endemic to northeast Mexico. The range is highly localised, confined to a small area of high summits in the northern Sierra Madre Oriental in Coahuila and Nuevo León, and only abundant on the highest...
, despite being separated from them by well over 1000 kilometres (621.4 mi).
Uses
The edible seeds, pine nutPine nut
Pine nuts are the edible seeds of pines . About 20 species of pine produce seeds large enough to be worth harvesting; in other pines the seeds are also edible, but are too small to be of great value as a human food....
s, are collected throughout its range, though it is much less important than Colorado Pinyon
Colorado Pinyon
The Colorado Pinyon, Two-needle Pinyon, or Piñon Pine, ', is a pine in the pinyon pine group whose ancestor was a member of the Madro-Tertiary Flora and is native to the United States....
for the crop. Parry Pinyon is also occasionally planted as an ornamental tree and sometimes used as a christmas tree
Christmas tree
The Christmas tree is a decorated evergreen coniferous tree, real or artificial, and a tradition associated with the celebration of Christmas. The tradition of decorating an evergreen tree at Christmas started in Livonia and Germany in the 16th century...
. Due to the limited distribution of the species, the seeds of the Parry Pinyon are not gathered commercially. Instead, they are generally consumed by birds, rodents and other mammals.