Pinus bhutanica

Bhutan white pine
Himalayan buzzard (Buteo burmanicus) on Pinus bhutanica
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Pinophyta
Class: Pinopsida
Order: Pinales
Family: Pinaceae
Genus: Pinus
Subgenus: Strobus
Species: P. bhutanica
Binomial name
Pinus bhutanica
Grierson, Long & Page

Pinus bhutanica, which may be called the Bhutan white pine, is a tree restricted to Bhutan and adjacent parts of northeast India (Arunachal Pradesh) and southwest China (Yunnan and Tibet).[1] Along with the related Pinus wallichiana it is a constituent of lower altitude blue pine forests. This pine reaches a height of 25 meters. Note that P. wallichiana is sometimes called by the common name 'Bhutan pine'.

The needles are in bundles of five, up to 25 cm long. The cones are 12–20 cm in length, with thin scales; the seeds are 5–6 mm long, with a 20–25 mm wing. It differs from P. wallichiana in the much longer, strongly drooping needles, and the cones being slightly smaller and red-brown, rather than yellow-buff, when mature. It is also adapted to generally warmer, wetter climates at lower altitudes, with an intense summer monsoon. Despite the two being closely related and at least occasionally growing together, no hybrids or intermediates have ever been reported.

References

  1. 1 2 Zhang, D; Katsuki, T. & Rushforth, K. (2013). "Pinus bhutanica". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2015.1. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 10 June 2015.

Further reading

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