Pinus teocote

Scientific name: Pinus teocote Schiede ex D.F.L.Schlechtendal & L.K.A.Chamisso 1830

Synonyms:Pinus besseriana Roezl, Pinus calocote Roezl ex Gordon, Pinus galocote Roezl ex Gordon, Pinus hugelii Roezl ex Carrière, Pinus interposita Roezl ex Gordon, Pinus kegelii Roezl ex Gordon, Pinus microcarpa Roezl, Pinus mulleriana Roezl, Pinus otteana Roezl, Pinus tumida Roezl ex Gordon, Pinus vilmoriniana Roezl

Common names: Aztec pine, Teocote pine, Pino Chino, Ocote, Pino Colorado, Pino Real, Pino Rosillo (Spanish)

Description

Tree to 20(-25) m tall, or shorter southward, with trunk to 0.7(-0.8) m in diameter. Bark thick, dark grayish brown, broken up into broad, rough, interrupted ridges by deep, wide, reddish brown furrows. Crown dome-shaped to cylindrical, with numerous slender, horizontal to gently rising branches sparsely clothed with foliage at the tips. Twigs reddish brown with a dusting of wax, hairless, channeled between the long scale leaf bases which begin to peel off after the second year. Buds 8-15 mm long, not conspicuously resinous. Needles in bundles of (two or) three (or four), each needle (7-)10-15(-19) cm long, stiff and straight, lasting 2-3 years, bright light green. Sheath 12-20(-23) mm long at first, rupturing and weathering to (5-)10-15 mm and then persisting and falling with the bundle. Pollen cones 1-2 cm long, yellowish brown. Seed cones (2.5-)4-6(-7) cm long, egg-shaped to conical when fully open, sometimes slightly asymmetrical and curved, with 50-100 seed scales, green before maturity, ripening light brown, opening widely to release the seeds and then falling or persistent for a while before falling with the short, stout stalk 5-8(-12) mm long. Seed scales paddle-shaped, the exposed face horizontally diamond-shaped, only slightly raised, crossed by a ridge, the umbo large, flat to pointed and bearing a fragile prickle. Seed body 3-5 mm long, the clasping wing another (8-)10-15 mm longer.

Mountains throughout Mexico, from western Chihuahua and northern Coahuila to southeastern Chiapas. Forming pure stands or mixed with other pines and oaks in open forests and woodlands; 1,000-3,000(-3,300) m.

Conservation Status

Red List Category & Criteria: Least Concern

(This species is assessed as Least Concern because it is the most abundant and widespread species of pine in Mexico)

References

Farjon, A. (2010). A Handbook of the World's Conifers. Koninklijke Brill, Leiden.

Eckenwalder, J.E. (2009) Conifers of the World: The Complete Reference. Timber Press, Portland.

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. Cambridge, UK /Gland, Switzerland

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