Pinus montezumae
Encyclopedia
Pinus montezumae, known as the Montezuma Pine, is a species of conifer in the Pinaceae
family.
It is native to Mexico
and Central America
, where it is known as Ocote
. The tree grows about 35 m high and 80 cm in diameter; occasionally it may reach a height of 40 m and diameter of 1 m. It has a round crown. The bark is dark brown-grayish.
It is found from the Mexican states of Nuevo León
(25° N). Lat. and Jalisco
(22°) to the North and to Nicaragua
(15° S. Lat.) to the south. It occurs on both mountain ranges of the Sierra Madre Oriental
and Sierra Madre Occidental
. It grows at altitudes from 2000-3200 m above sea level. It is found in areas between 800-1000 mm rainfall per year. In most of the tree's habitat, rain falls mostly in summer, but in the state of Veracruz
, precipitations are spread year round and the climate is very wet. However, specimens from the state of Jalisco
grow in semi-arid places. It occurs in warm temperate to cool climates (18°C to 10°C). At the highest altitudes of its distribution it usually receives snow in the winter.
Ocote wood is yellowish-brown white, with the heartwood being light brown, is hard, heavy and used for construction. It is appreciated for its resin. The resin is so flammable that a cut branch will burn as a torch emitting black smoke when ignited; for this reason, it is very common in Mexico to use ocote wood as a fire starter for campfires and barbecues. First 3 to 6 years growth is slow, after this stage it is a fast-growing tree. The cities of Ocotlán
in Jalisco
Mexico
and Ocotal
in Nicaragua
derive their names from this tree.
Planted commercially: in South Africa
and Queensland
, Australia
at mid altitudes.
Kenya
, Malawi
, Botswana
, Zimbabwe
and Bolivia
at high altitudes. Trees planted in New Zealand
and New South Wales
, Australia
near sea level have done very well.
Pinaceae
Pinaceae are trees or shrubs, including many of the well-known conifers of commercial importance such as cedars, firs, hemlocks, larches, pines and spruces. The family is included in the order Pinales, formerly known as Coniferales. Pinaceae are supported as monophyletic by its protein-type sieve...
family.
It is native to 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...
and Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
, where it is known as Ocote
Ocote
Ocote may refer to:*Pinus apulcensis*Pinus ayacahuite*Pinus cooperi*Pinus devoniana*Pinus durangensis*Pinus gordoniana*Pinus greggii*Pinus hartwegii*Pinus herrerae*Pinus jaliscana*Pinus leiophylla...
. The tree grows about 35 m high and 80 cm in diameter; occasionally it may reach a height of 40 m and diameter of 1 m. It has a round crown. The bark is dark brown-grayish.
It is found from the Mexican states of Nuevo León
Nuevo León
Nuevo León It is located in Northeastern Mexico. It is bordered by the states of Tamaulipas to the north and east, San Luis Potosí to the south, and Coahuila to the west. To the north, Nuevo León has a 15 kilometer stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border adjacent to the U.S...
(25° N). Lat. and Jalisco
Jalisco
Jalisco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in Western Mexico and divided in 125 municipalities and its capital city is Guadalajara.It is one of the more important states...
(22°) to the North and to Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
(15° S. Lat.) to the south. It occurs on both mountain ranges of the Sierra Madre Oriental
Sierra Madre Oriental
The Sierra Madre Oriental is a mountain range in northeastern Mexico.-Setting:Spanning the Sierra Madre Oriental runs from Coahuila south through Nuevo León, southwest Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosí, Querétaro, and Hidalgo to northern Puebla, where it joins with the east-west running Eje Volcánico...
and Sierra Madre Occidental
Sierra Madre Occidental
The Sierra Madre Occidental is a mountain range in western Mexico.-Setting:The range runs north to south, from just south of the Sonora–Arizona border southeast through eastern Sonora, western Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Durango, Zacatecas, Nayarit, Jalisco, Aguascalientes to Guanajuato, where it joins...
. It grows at altitudes from 2000-3200 m above sea level. It is found in areas between 800-1000 mm rainfall per year. In most of the tree's habitat, rain falls mostly in summer, but in the state of Veracruz
Veracruz
Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave , is one of the 31 states that, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided in 212 municipalities and its capital city is...
, precipitations are spread year round and the climate is very wet. However, specimens from the state of Jalisco
Jalisco
Jalisco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in Western Mexico and divided in 125 municipalities and its capital city is Guadalajara.It is one of the more important states...
grow in semi-arid places. It occurs in warm temperate to cool climates (18°C to 10°C). At the highest altitudes of its distribution it usually receives snow in the winter.
Ocote wood is yellowish-brown white, with the heartwood being light brown, is hard, heavy and used for construction. It is appreciated for its resin. The resin is so flammable that a cut branch will burn as a torch emitting black smoke when ignited; for this reason, it is very common in Mexico to use ocote wood as a fire starter for campfires and barbecues. First 3 to 6 years growth is slow, after this stage it is a fast-growing tree. The cities of Ocotlán
Ocotlán
Ocotlán is a city and municipality in Jalisco, Mexico. Its industry includes furniture production.-Toponymy:The toponym Ocotlán means: "near the pines" or "place of the ocote ". Ocote is from the Náhuatl ocōtl, Pinus montezumae, a species of pine, .-History:Ocotlán was founded in 1530. Two main...
in Jalisco
Jalisco
Jalisco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in Western Mexico and divided in 125 municipalities and its capital city is Guadalajara.It is one of the more important states...
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...
and Ocotal
Ocotal
Ocotal is the capital of the Nueva Segovia Department in Nicaragua, Central America.-Description:Ocotal is the capital of the Nueva Segovia Department in Nicaragua with light industry and crafts. The main agricultural production is coffee. The city, which has a population of 31,932 , is located...
in Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
derive their names from this tree.
Planted commercially: in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
at mid altitudes.
Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, Malawi
Malawi
The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. Its size...
, Botswana
Botswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
, Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
and Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
at high altitudes. Trees planted in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
near sea level have done very well.
Source
- Conifer Specialist Group 1998. Pinus montezumae. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 10 July 2007.