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Scientific name: Pinus ayacahuite var. veitchii (Roezl) Shaw 1909
Synonyms: Pinus ayacahuite var. loudoniana (Gordon & Glend.) Silba, Pinus ayacahuite subsp. loudoniana (Gordon & Glend.) A.E.Murray, Pinus ayacahuite subsp. popocatepetlii (Roezl) Silba, Pinus ayacahuite subsp. veitchii (Roezl) Silba, Pinus bonapartea Roezl, Pinus loudoniana Gordon, Pinus loudoniana Gordon & Glend., Pinus popocatepetlii Roezl, Pinus strobiformis subsp. veitchii (Roezl) Frankis, Pinus veitchii Roezl, Pinus veitchii var. zempoalensis Gaussen
Common names: Veitch's Mexican pine (English), Pino de Navidad (Spanish)
Tree to 40(-50) m tall, with trunk to 1.5(-2) m in diameter. Bark grayish green and smooth at first, flaking and then ultimately becoming grayish brown and breaking up into small, scaly blocks divided by shallow cracks at the base of large trees. Crown conical at first, broadening and becoming flat-topped and irregular with age, fairly open, even in youth, with widely spaced horizontal to gently drooping branches well clothed with foliage. Twigs light grayish brown, hairless or transiently minutely hairy. Buds 6-12(-15) mm long, slightly resinous or not. Needles in bundles of five (or six), each needle (8-)10-18(-20) cm long, very soft and flexible, straight or slightly drooping, lasting 2-3 years, bluish green to grayish green with wax. Individual needles with lines of stomates only on the inner faces, an undivided midvein, two small resin canals touching the epidermis of the outer face, and sometimes with up to four additional resin canals around the periphery, starting with either of the inner faces near where they come together. Sheath 1.5-2(-3) cm long, soon shed. Pollen cones 7-15 mm long, yellowish brown. Seed cones up to 50 cm long up to about 150 seed scales, which have an elongate tip sharply and strongly angled back. Seed scales narrowly diamond-shaped, the hidden part thin, the exposed part thicker and triangular to elongated, slightly to sharply and strongly curved back, with a narrow, diamond-shaped umbo at the tip. Seed body 10-12 mm long, the wing 10-20 mm long.
Mexico: in Guanajuato, Querétaro, Hidalgo, Veracruz, México, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Morelos, and Michoacán; 2,000-3,200 m.
Red List Category & Criteria: Near Threatened
The taxonomic position of var. veitchii is uncertain and it is occassionally treated as a variety of Pinus strobiformis. The whole complex of these taxa could be interpreted as a grade, more or less from South to North.
Although undoubtedly exploited for timber, this variety is widespread, occurs among var. ayacahuite in many places, and is not in danger of extinction. However, depletion of subpopulations to few mature trees left has been observed, and if this trend continues this taxon may meet the criteria for listing as Vulnerable in future.
Subpopulations are severely fragmented with only a few trees of this variety in each locality. It thrives in temperate coniferous forests with Abies religiosa, Pinus patula, Pinus pseudostrobus and Cupressus lusitanica.
The population is concentrated around México city and must be under great pressure from urban and other developments. The timber is highly sought-after. Valued for its soft timber. It is also cultivated for Christmas trees in Mexico State.
This variety is present in several protected areas.
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