This article is about the tree. For other uses of the term "pine," see Pine (disambiguation). Pine may refer to Vegetation Pine, coniferous trees classified in the genus Pinus Other coniferous trees such as Norfolk Island

Pine
Maritime Pine (Pinus pinaster)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Pinophyta Class: Pinopsida Order: Pinales Family: Pinaceae Genus: Pinus L.
Subgenera
Subgenus Strobus Subgenus Ducampopinus Subgenus Pinus See Pinus classification for complete taxonomy to species level. Plants are living Organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. The Order Pinales in the Division Pinophyta, Class Pinopsida comprises all the extant Conifers This order was formerly known as the The family Pinaceae ( pine family) is in the order Pinales and includes many of the well-known Conifers of commercial importance such as Cedars Carl Linnaeus (Latinized as Carolus Linnaeus, also known after his ennoblement as, May 23 new style (13 May old style 1707 who laid the foundations for There are three main subgenera of '''''Pinus''''', the subgenus Strobus ( White pines or soft pines the subgenus Ducampopinus ( There are three main subgenera of '''''Pinus''''', the subgenus Strobus ( White pines or soft pines the subgenus Ducampopinus ( There are three main subgenera of '''''Pinus''''', the subgenus Strobus ( White pines or soft pines the subgenus Ducampopinus ( There are three main subgenera of '''''Pinus''''', the subgenus Strobus ( White pines or soft pines the subgenus Ducampopinus ( See list of pines by region for list of species by geographical distribution. This is a list of pine species by geographical distribution For a taxonomy of the genus see Pinus classification.

Pines are coniferous trees in the genus Pinus, in the family Pinaceae. 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 A genus (plural genera from Γένος Latin genus "descent family type gender" is a low-level Taxonomic In Biological classification, family ( Latin The family Pinaceae ( pine family) is in the order Pinales and includes many of the well-known Conifers of commercial importance such as Cedars They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. Monotypic is an adjective that refers to a taxonomic group with only one type: In Botany, "monotypic" means that a Taxon has only In Biological classification, family ( Latin There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species. In Biology, a species is one of the basic units of Biological classification and a Taxonomic rank.

Distribution

Pines are native to most of the Northern Hemisphere. Northern Hemisphere is the half of a Planet that is North of the Equator —the word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' In Eurasia, they range from the Canary Islands and Scotland east to the Russian Far East, and the Philippines, north to just over 70°N in Norway (Scots Pine) and eastern Siberia (Siberian Dwarf Pine), and south to northernmost Africa, the Himalaya and Southeast Asia, with one species (Sumatran Pine) just crossing the Equator in Sumatra to 2°S. For the superstate in George Orwell 's novel see Nations of Nineteen Eighty-Four. The Canary Islands ( English pronunciation kəˈnæriː ˈaɪləndz Spanish: Islas Canarias, ˈizlas kaˈnarjas are a Spanish Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP Norway ( Norwegian: Norge ( Bokmål) or Noreg ( Nynorsk) officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Constitutional The Scots Pine ( Pinus sylvestris L family Pinaceae) is a species of Pine native to Europe and Asia, ranging from Siberia (Сиби́рь Sibir) is the name given to the vast region constituting almost all of Northern Asia and for the most part currently serving The Siberian Dwarf Pine ( Pinus pumila) is a native to northeastern Asia, including the islands of Japan. The Sumatran Pine ( Pinus merkusii) is a Pine native to southeast Asia, mainly in the mountains of northern Sumatra, and with The equator (sometimes referred to colloquially as "the Line") is the intersection of the Earth 's surface with the plane perpendicular to the Sumatra (also spelled Sumatera) is the sixth largest island in the world (approximately 470000 km² and is the largest island entirely in Indonesia (two In North America, they range from 66°N in Canada (Jack Pine) south to 12°N in Nicaragua (Caribbean Pine). Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The Jack Pine ( Pinus banksiana) is a North American Pine with its native range in Canada east of the Rocky Mountains from Nicaragua (ˌnɪkəˈrɑgwə officially the Republic of Nicaragua () is a representative democratic republic and the largest nation in Central America The Caribbean Pine ( Pinus caribaea) is a hard pine native to Central America, Cuba and the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos The highest diversity in the genus occurs in Mexico and California. The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean.

Pines have been introduced in subtropical and temperate portions of the Southern Hemisphere, including Chile, Brazil, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, where they are grown widely as a source of timber, and some species are becoming invasive. Southern Hemisphere is the half of a Planet that is South of the Equator —the word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island Introduced species|Weed Invasive species is a phrase with several definitions

Morphology

Pines are evergreen and resinous trees (rarely shrubs) growing to 3–80 m tall, with the majority of species reaching between 15-45 m tall. In Botany, an Evergreen plant is a plant having leaves all year round Resin, not to be confused with Rosin, is a Hydrocarbon Secretion of many Plants particularly coniferous trees. 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 A shrub or Bush is a horticultural rather than strictly botanical category of Woody plant, distinguished from a Tree The smallest are Siberian Dwarf Pine and Potosi Pinyon, and the tallest, Sugar Pine. The Siberian Dwarf Pine ( Pinus pumila) is a native to northeastern Asia, including the islands of Japan. Potosi Pinyon ( Pinus culminicola) is a Pine in the Pinyon pine group native to northeast Mexico. The Sugar Pine ( Pinus lambertiana; family Pinaceae) is a species of Pine that occurs in the mountains of Oregon and California Pines are long-lived, typically reaching ages of 100–1,000 years, some even more. The longest-lived is the Great Basin Bristlecone Pine Pinus longaeva, one individual of which at 4,840 years old in 2008 is one of the oldest living organism in the world. The Great Basin Bristlecone Pine ( Pinus longaeva) is one of the Bristlecone pines a group of three species of Pine found in the higher Mountains 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common This is a list of the oldest living organisms. This is usually defined as having a longer Lifespan than other organisms of similar Species (such

The bark of most pines is thick and scaly, but some species have thin, flaking bark. Bark, also known as periderm is the outermost layer of stems and Roots of Woody plants such as Trees It overlays the Wood and consists The branches are produced in regular "pseudo whorls", actually a very tight spiral but appearing like a ring of branches arising from the same point. In Mathematics, a spiral is a Curve which emanates from a central point getting progressively farther away as it revolves around the point Many pines are uninodal, producing just one such whorl of branches each year, from buds at the tip of the year's new shoot, but others are multinodal, producing two or more whorls of branches per year. In Botany, a bud is an undeveloped or embryonic Shoot and normally occurs in the Axil of a Leaf or at the tip of the stem A stem is one of two main structural axes of a Vascular plant. The spiral growth of branches, needles and cone scales are arranged in Fibonacci number ratios. In Mathematics, the Fibonacci numbers are a Sequence of numbers named after Leonardo of Pisa, known as Fibonacci The new spring shoots are sometimes called "candles"; they are covered in brown or whitish bud scales and point upward at first, then later turn green and spread outward. These "candles" offer foresters a means to evaluate fertility of the soil and vigour of the trees. A forester is a person who practices Forestry, the science and profession of managing forests Fertility is the natural capability of giving life As a measure "Fertility Rate" is the number of children born per couple person or population

Foliage

Juvenile (left) and adult foliage of Stone Pine (Pinus pinea), showing the dark brown scale leaves and needle leaves on an adult shoot

Pines have four types of leaves:

1. Seed leaves (cotyledons) on seedlings, borne in a whorl of 4-24. The (Italian Stone Pine (or Umbrella Pine) ( Pinus pinea; family Pinaceae) is a species of Pine native of Southern Europe in In Botany, a leaf is an above-ground Plant organ specialized for Photosynthesis. A cotyledon ("seed leaf" from Greek: κοτυληδών kotylēdōn, from κοτύλη ''kotýlē'', "cup bowl"
2. Juvenile leaves, which follow immediately on seedlings and young plants, 2-6 cm long, single, green or often blue-green, and arranged spirally on the shoot. These are produced for six months to five years, rarely longer (and also produced later in life after injury in some pines).
3. Scale leaves, similar to bud scales, small, brown and non-photosynthetic, and arranged spirally like the juvenile leaves.
4. Needles, the adult leaves, which are green (photosynthetic), bundled in clusters (fascicles) of (1-) 2-5 (-6) needles together, each fascicle produced from a small bud on a dwarf shoot in the axil of a scale leaf. Photosynthesis is a Metabolic pathway that converts Light Energy into Chemical energy. In Botany, a bud is an undeveloped or embryonic Shoot and normally occurs in the Axil of a Leaf or at the tip of the stem These bud scales often remain on the fascicle as a basal sheath. The needles persist for 1. 5-40 years, depending on species. If a shoot is damaged (e. g. eaten by an animal), the needle fascicles just below the damage will generate a bud which can then replace the lost growth.

Cones

Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda): male cones

A fully mature Monterey Pine cone on the forest floor. Pinus taeda ( Loblolly Pine) is one of several Pines native to the southeastern United States. Pinus radiata (family Pinaceae is known in English as Monterey Pine in some parts of the world (mainly in the USA, Canada and the

Pines are mostly monoecious, having the male and female cones on the same tree, though a few species are sub-dioecious with individuals predominantly, but not wholly, single-sex. Plant sexuality covers the wide variety of Sexual reproduction systems found across the Plant kingdom A cone (in formal botanical usage Strobilus, plural strobili is an organ on Plants in the division Pinophyta ( Conifers Plant sexuality covers the wide variety of Sexual reproduction systems found across the Plant kingdom The male cones are small, typically 1-5 cm long, and only present for a short period (usually in spring, though autumn in a few pines), falling as soon as they have shed their pollen. Pollen is a fine to coarse powder consisting of microgametophytes ( pollen grains) which produce the male Gametes (sperm cells of The female cones take 1. 5-3 years (depending on species) to mature after pollination, with actual fertilization delayed one year. Pollination in angiosperms and Gymnosperms is the process that transfers pollen grains, which contain the male Gametes (sperm to where the female At maturity the female cones are 3-60 cm long. Each cone has numerous spirally arranged scales, with two seeds on each fertile scale; the scales at the base and tip of the cone are small and sterile, without seeds. The seeds are mostly small and winged, and are anemophilous (wind-dispersed), but some are larger and have only a vestigial wing, and are bird-dispersed (see below). Birds ( class Aves) are bipedal endothermic ( Warm-blooded) Vertebrate animals that lay eggs. At maturity, the cones usually open to release the seeds, but in some of the bird-dispersed species (e. g. Whitebark Pine), the seeds are only released by the bird breaking the cones open. The Whitebark Pine ( Pinus albicaulis; family Pinaceae) occurs in the mountains of the Western United States and Canada, specifically the In others, the fire climax pines (e. g. Monterey Pine, Pond Pine), the seeds are stored in closed ("serotinous") cones for many years until a forest fire kills the parent tree; the cones are also opened by the heat and the stored seeds are then released in huge numbers to re-populate the burnt ground. Pinus radiata (family Pinaceae is known in English as Monterey Pine in some parts of the world (mainly in the USA, Canada and the The Pond Pine ( Pinus serotina) is a Tree found along the Atlantic coastal Plain of the eastern United States

Pine Forests Overlooking Beirut, Lebanon

Classification

Pines are divided into three subgenera, based on cone, seed and leaf characters:

• Subgenus Strobus (white or soft pines). Beirut (بيروت Bayrūt) is the Capital and Largest city of Lebanon with a population of over 2 There are three main subgenera of '''''Pinus''''', the subgenus Strobus ( White pines or soft pines the subgenus Ducampopinus ( Cone scale without a sealing band. Umbo terminal. Seedwings adnate. One fibrovascular bundle per leaf.
• Subgenus Ducampopinus (pinyon, lacebark and bristlecone pines). There are three main subgenera of '''''Pinus''''', the subgenus Strobus ( White pines or soft pines the subgenus Ducampopinus ( Cone scale without a sealing band. Umbo dorsal. Seedwings articulate. One fibrovascular bundle per leaf.
• Subgenus Pinus (yellow or hard pines). There are three main subgenera of '''''Pinus''''', the subgenus Strobus ( White pines or soft pines the subgenus Ducampopinus ( Cone scale with a sealing band. Umbo dorsal. Seedwings articulate. Two fibrovascular bundles per leaf.

Ecology

Mountain pine beetles killed these Lodgepole Pines in Prince George, British Columbia. The mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae, is a species of Bark beetle native to the forests of western North America from Mexico to Lodgepole Pine ( Pinus contorta) is a common Tree in western North America. Prince George, with a population of 70981 ( census agglomeration of 83225 is the largest city in northern British Columbia

Pines grow well in acid soils, some also on calcareous soils; most require good soil drainage, preferring sandy soils, but a few, e. Soil, often typeset as SOiL, is a four piece rock band from Chicago Illinois United States founded by Shaun Glass Tom Schofield Tim King and Adam Zadel g. Lodgepole Pine, will tolerate poorly drained wet soils. Lodgepole Pine ( Pinus contorta) is a common Tree in western North America. A few are able to sprout after forest fires, e. g. Canary Island Pine. Some species of pines, e. g. Bishop Pine, need fire to regenerate and their populations slowly decline under fire suppression regimes. The Bishop Pine ( Pinus muricata) is a Pine with a very restricted range mostly California, USA, including some offshore islands and a Several species are adapted to extreme conditions imposed by elevation and latitude; see e. g. Siberian Dwarf Pine, Mountain Pine, Whitebark Pine and the bristlecone pines. The Siberian Dwarf Pine ( Pinus pumila) is a native to northeastern Asia, including the islands of Japan. Mountain Pine or Mugo Pine ( Pinus mugo) is a high-altitude European Pine, found in the Pyrenees, Alps, Erzgebirge The Whitebark Pine ( Pinus albicaulis; family Pinaceae) occurs in the mountains of the Western United States and Canada, specifically the The bristlecone pines are a small group of Pine trees (Family Pinaceae, genus Pinus, subsection Balfourianae) that are thought to The pinyon pines and a number of others, notably Turkish Pine, are particularly well adapted to growth in hot, dry semi-desert climates. The pinyon (or piñon) Pine group grows in the southwestern United States and in Mexico. The Turkish pine ( Pinus brutia) is a Pine native to the eastern Mediterranean region A desert is a Landscape or region that receives very little precipitation.

The seeds are commonly eaten by birds and squirrels. A seed (in some plants referred to as a kernel) is a small embryonic Plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat usually with some stored Birds ( class Aves) are bipedal endothermic ( Warm-blooded) Vertebrate animals that lay eggs. A squirrel is one of the many small or medium-sized Rodents in the family Sciuridae. Some birds, notably the Spotted Nutcracker, Clark's Nutcracker and Pinyon Jay, are of importance in distributing pine seeds to new areas. The Spotted Nutcracker, or just Nutcracker, ( Nucifraga caryocatactes) is a Passerine Bird slightly larger than the Eurasian The Clark's Nutcracker ( Nucifraga columbiana) is a large Passerine bird in the family Corvidae. The Pinyon Jay ( Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus) is a Jay between the North American Blue Jay and the Eurasian Jay in size Pine needles are sometimes eaten by some Lepidoptera (butterfly and moth) species (see list of Lepidoptera that feed on pines) and also the Symphytan species Pine Sawfly. Lepidoptera is an order of Insect that includes Moths and butterflies. A butterfly is an Insect of the order Lepidoptera. Like all Lepidoptera butterflies are notable for their unusual life cycle with a A moth is an Insect closely related to the Butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Pines ( Pinus spp are used as food plants by the Larvae of a number of Lepidoptera species including Monophagous Symphyta redirects here For the Moth Genus, see Symphyta (genus.

Uses

Commercial planting of young Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris)

Pines are among the most commercially important of tree species, valued for their timber and wood pulp throughout the world. Lumber or timber is Wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural Material for Construction, or Wood pulp is a dry fibrous material prepared by chemically or mechanically separating the fibers which make up Wood. In temperate and tropical regions, they are fast-growing softwoods that will grow in relatively dense stands, their acidic decaying needles inhibiting the sprouting of competing hardwoods. Softwood is a generic term used in Woodworking and the Lumber industries for Wood from Conifers (needle-bearing trees from the order Pinales Commercial pines are grown in plantations for timber that is denser, more resinous, and therefore more durable than spruce (Picea). Fundamentally a plantation is usually a large Farm or estate, especially in a tropical or semitropical country on which Cotton, Tobacco Spruce refers to Trees of the genus Picea, a genus of about 35 species of Coniferous Evergreen trees in the Family Pinaceae Pine wood is widely used in high-value carpentry items such as furniture, window frames, paneling and floors.

The resin of some species is an important source of turpentine. Resin, not to be confused with Rosin, is a Hydrocarbon Secretion of many Plants particularly coniferous trees. Turpentine (also called spirit of turpentine oil of turpentine wood turpentine gum turpentine is a fluid obtained by the Distillation of Resin obtained from trees See also pitch.

Many pine species make attractive ornamental plantings for parks and larger gardens, with a variety of dwarf cultivars being suitable for smaller spaces. A park is a protected area of Land and Water, usually in its natural or semi-natural (landscaped state and set aside for some purpose often to do with human A garden is a planned space usually outdoors set aside for the display cultivation and enjoyment of Plants and other forms of Nature. A cultivar is a cultivated Plant that has been selected and given a unique name because of its decorative or useful characteristics it is usually distinct from similar Pines are also commercially grown and harvested for Christmas trees. A Christmas tree, Yule tree, holiday tree or Tannenbaum (fir tree is one of the most popular Traditions associated with the celebration Pine cones, the largest and most durable of all conifer cones are craft favorites. A cone (in formal botanical usage Strobilus, plural strobili is an organ on Plants in the division Pinophyta ( Conifers Pines boughs, always appreciated, especially in wintertime for their pleasant smell and greenery, are popularly cut for decorations.

Pine needles serve as food for various Lepidoptera. Lepidoptera is an order of Insect that includes Moths and butterflies. See List of Lepidoptera which feed on Pines. Pines ( Pinus spp are used as food plants by the Larvae of a number of Lepidoptera species including Monophagous

Food uses

Stone Pine Pinus pinea in a Rome (Italy) street

Main article: Pine nut

Some species have large seeds, called pine nuts, that are harvested and sold for cooking and baking. The (Italian Stone Pine (or Umbrella Pine) ( Pinus pinea; family Pinaceae) is a species of Pine native of Southern Europe in Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Pine nuts are the edible Seeds of Pines (family Pinaceae, genus Pinus) A seed (in some plants referred to as a kernel) is a small embryonic Plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat usually with some stored Pine nuts are the edible Seeds of Pines (family Pinaceae, genus Pinus)

The soft, moist, white inner bark (cambium) found clinging to the woody outer bark is edible and very high in vitamins A and C. The vascular cambium is a Lateral meristem in the Vascular tissue of plants Bark, also known as periderm is the outermost layer of stems and Roots of Woody plants such as Trees It overlays the Wood and consists Vitamin A refers to a family of similarly shaped molecules the Retinoids. Vitamin C or L-ascorbate is an Essential nutrient for a large number of higher primate species a small number of other Mammalian It can be eaten raw in slices as a snack or dried and ground up into a powder for use as a thickener in stews, soups, and other foods, such as pine bread. The cuisine of Finland is notable for the use of Wholemeal products ( Rye, Barley, Oats and berries (such as blueberries A tea made by steeping young, green pine needles in boiling water (known as "tallstrunt" in Sweden) is high in vitamins A and C.

Etymology

The modern English name pine derives from Latin Pinus by way of French pin; similar names are used in other Romance languages. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people The Romance languages (sometimes referred to as Romanic languages, or Neolatin languages) are a branch of the Indo-European language family comprising all In the past (pre-19th century) they were often known as fir, from Old Norse fyrre, by way of Middle English firre. Old Norse is the North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age Middle English is the name given by Historical linguistics to the diverse forms of the English language spoken between the Norman invasion of The Old Norse name is still used for pines in some modern north European languages, in Danish, fyr, in Norwegian and Swedish, furu, and Föhre in German, but in modern English, "fir" is now restricted to Fir (Abies) and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga). Danish ( d̥ænsɡ̊ is one of the North Germanic languages (also called Scandinavian languages a sub-group of the Germanic branch of the Norwegian ( norsk) is a North Germanic Language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is an official language Swedish ( is a North Germanic language spoken by more than nine million people predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along the The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. Firs ( Abies) are a genus of between 45-55 species of Evergreen conifers in the family Pinaceae. Douglas-fir is the common name applied to coniferous Trees of the Genus Pseudotsuga in the family Pinaceae.

References