shortleaf pine

Pinus echinata
Shortleaf Pine forest
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Pinophyta Class: Pinopsida Order: Pinales Family: Pinaceae Genus: Pinus Subgenus: Pinus Species: P. echinata
Binomial name
Pinus echinata Mill.

Pinus echinata (Shortleaf Pine) is a species of pine native to the eastern United States from southern New York south to northern Florida, west to the extreme southeast of Kansas, and southwest to eastern Texas. The tree is variable in form, sometimes straight, sometimes crooked, with an irregular crown. This tree reaches heights of 20-30 m with a trunk diameter of 0.5-0.9 m.

The leaves are needle-like, in bundles of two and three mixed together, and from 7-11 cm long. The cones are 4-7 cm long, with thin scales with a transverse keel and a short prickle. They open at maturity but are persistent.

Shortleaf pine seedlings develop a persistent J-shaped crook near the ground surface. Axillary and other buds form near the crook and initiate growth if the upper stem is killed by fire or is severed.

This pine is a source of wood pulp, plywood veneer, and lumber for a variety of uses. The Shortleaf Pine is one of the southern US "yellow" pines; it is also occasionally called Southern Yellow pine or the Shortstraw Pine. Shortleaf Pine has the largest range of the southern US yellow pines.

This pine occupies a variety of habitats from rocky uplands to wet flood plains. It frequently hybridizes naturally with Loblolly Pine where their ranges intersect.

References

• Conifer Specialist Group (1998). Pinus echinata. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006.

External links

• Gymnosperm Database: Pinus echinata
• Flora of North America, Profile and map: Pinus echinata
• NCRS: USDA Plants Profile: Pinus echinata
• USDA FS: Silvics of Trees of North America: Pinus echinata