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limber pine

western white pine

Habit Trees to 20 m tall; mature crown conic to rounded. Trees to 70 m tall; mature crown conic.
Buds

ovoid; reddish brown, resinous.

ellipsoid to cylindric; reddish brown, resinous.

Leaves

in clusters of 5, upcurved, 3–6 cm × 1–1.5 mm, dark green;

margins entire to finely serrulate;

abaxial surfaces with faint stomatal bands;

adaxial surfaces with obvious stomatal bands;

apex acute;

sheaths deciduous.

in clusters of 5; straight, slightly twisted, 4–10 cm × 0.7–1 mm, blue-green;

margins finely serrulate;

abaxial surface without stomatal lines;

adaxial surface with stomatal lines;

apex acute;

sheaths deciduous.

Pollen cones

ellipsoid-cylindrical, 1.2–1.6 cm long, red or yellow.

ellipsoid, 10–15 mm long, yellow.

Seeds

oval, compressed, 6–12 mm long, brown to reddish brown, sometimes with spots; wingless or nearly so.

obovoid, 5–7 mm long; reddish brown;

wings about 4 times as long as body.

Trunks

to 2 m in diameter; straight, sometimes contorted;

bark gray; smooth, becoming ridged with rectangular scaly plates with age;

branches horizontal to ascending, usually persistent to base;

twigs reddish brown and pubescent when young, becoming gray with age; smooth or nearly so with some bud scars.

to 2.5 m in diameter; straight;

bark gray, forming scaly plates;

branches spreading and ascending;

twigs reddish brown; smooth.

Seed cones

ovoid to ovoid-cylindrical, symmetric, 7–15 cm long, light brown; horizontal to pendent, sessile to less than 2 cm long, maturing in 2 years, opening at maturity;

umbos terminal; less than 2 mm;

prickles absent.

lanceoloid to cylindric, symmetric, 10–25 cm long, brown to yellowish, pendent;

stalks less than 2 cm long, maturing in 2 years, opening at maturity;

umbos terminal, depressed.

2n

=24.

=24.

Pinus flexilis

Pinus monticola

Distribution
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

High altitude montane forests. 1500–2500 m. BW. CA, ID, NV, WA; north to Alberta, east to NE, southeast to NM. Native.

In Oregon, Pinus flexilis is found only in the Wallowa Mountains. Morphologically, it is similar to P. albicaulis but is distinguished from the latter by its larger cones that open at maturity.

Montane forests, wetlands. 400–2500 m. BR, BW, Casc, CR, ECas, Sisk. CA, ID, NV, WA; north to British Columbia, northeast to MT. Native.

Pinus monticola is the state tree of Idaho.

Source Flora of Oregon, volume 1, page 121
Stephen Meyers
Flora of Oregon, volume 1, page 123
Stephen Meyers
Sibling taxa
P. albicaulis, P. attenuata, P. attenuata x Pinus radiata, P. balfouriana, P. contorta, P. jeffreyi, P. lambertiana, P. monophylla, P. monticola, P. muricata, P. pinaster, P. ponderosa, P. sabiniana, P. sylvestris
P. albicaulis, P. attenuata, P. attenuata x Pinus radiata, P. balfouriana, P. contorta, P. flexilis, P. jeffreyi, P. lambertiana, P. monophylla, P. muricata, P. pinaster, P. ponderosa, P. sabiniana, P. sylvestris
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