Parry Pinyon
| Parry Pinyon Pinus quadrifolia |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Division: | Pinophyta |
| Class: | Pinopsida |
| Order: | Pinales |
| Family: | Pinaceae |
| Genus: | Pinus |
| Subgenus: | Ducampopinus |
| Species: | P. quadrifolia |
| Binomial name | |
| Pinus quadrifolia Parl. ex Sudw. |
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Pinus quadrifolia (also, Pinus Parryana[1]), the Parry Pinyon, is a pine in the pinyon pine group, native to southernmost California in the United States and northern Baja California in Mexico, from 33° 30' N south to 30° 30' N.[2] It occurs at moderate altitudes from 1,300 metres (4,300 ft) to 1,800 metres (5,900 ft), rarely as low as 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) and as high as 2,500 metres (8,200 ft). It is scarce and often scattered in this region, forming open woodlands, usually mixed with junipers.
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[edit] Description
Pinus quadrifolia is a small to medium size tree, reaching 8 metres (26 ft) to 15 metres (49 ft) tall and with a trunk diameter of up to 40 centimetres (16 in), rarely more. The bark is thick, rough and scaly. The leaves ('needles') are in fascicles of 4–5, moderately stout, 2.5 centimetres (0.98 in) - 5.5 centimetres (2.2 in) long; glossy dark green with no stomata on the outer face, and a dense bright white band of stomata on the inner surfaces. The cones are globose, 4 centimetres (1.6 in) - 5.5 centimetres (2.2 in) long and broad when closed, green at first, ripening yellow to orange-buff when 18–20 months old, with only a small number of thick scales, with typically 5–10 fertile scales.
The cones open to 5 centimetres (2.0 in) to 7 centimetres (2.8 in) broad when mature, holding the seeds on the scales after opening. The seeds are 10 millimetres (0.39 in) - 14 millimetres (0.55 in) long, with a thin shell, a white endosperm, and a vestigial 1 millimetre (0.039 in) - 2 millimetres (0.079 in) wing; they are dispersed by the Pinyon Jay, which plucks the seeds out of the open cones. The jay, which uses the seeds as a food resource, stores many of the seeds for later use, and some of these stored seeds are not used and are able to grow into new trees.
[edit] Hybrids
Pinus quadrifolia frequently hybridises with Single-leaf Pinyon where their ranges meet in southern California and northern Baja California; the hybrids are distinguished by intermediate features, with needles usually fascicles of 2–3 with some stomata on the outer surface. It has been suggested by some botanists that the holotype specimen of P. quadrifolia is itself from a hybrid; presumed pure, non-hybrid specimens having been given a new name Pinus juarezensis (Juarez Pinyon, after the Sierra Juarez mountains of northern Baja California). However, there is no proof that these specimens are genetically 'purer' than the original type specimen, and few botanists accept P. juarezensis as other than a synonym of P. quadrifolia.
Despite the ease of hybridisation with Single-leaf Pinyon, Parry Pinyon is genetically probably more closely related to the Johann's Pinyon and Potosi Pinyon, despite being separated from them by well over 1,000 kilometres (620 mi).
[edit] Uses
The edible seeds, pine nuts, are collected throughout its range, though it is much less important than Colorado Pinyon for the crop. Parry Pinyon is also occasionally planted as an ornamental tree and sometimes used as a christmas tree. Due to the limited distribution of the species, the seeds of the Parry Pinyon are not gathered commercially. Instead, they are generally consumed by birds, rodents and other mammals.[3]
[edit] References
- ^ Chase, J. Smeaton (1911). Cone-bearing Trees of the California Mountains. Chicago: A. C. McClurg & Co.. pp. 99. LCCN 11004975. OCLC 3477527. LCC QK495.C75 C4, with illustrations by Carl Eytel - Kurut, Gary F. (2009), "Carl Eytel: Southern California Desert Artist", California State Library Foundation, Bulletin No. 95, pp. 17-20 retrieved Nov. 13, 2011
- ^ Moore, Gerry; Kershner, Bruce; Craig Tufts; Daniel Mathews; Gil Nelson; Spellenberg, Richard; Thieret, John W.; Terry Purinton; Block, Andrew (2008). National Wildlife Federation Field Guide to Trees of North America. New York: Sterling. p. 93. ISBN 1-4027-3875-7.
- ^ Little, Elbert (June 13, 1980). The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees, Western Region (10 ed.). pp. 288. ISBN 09394-50761-4.
- Conifer Specialist Group (1998). Pinus quadrifolia. 2006. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. www.iucnredlist.org. Retrieved on 12 May 2006.
- Ronald M. Lanner, 1981. The Piñon Pine: A Natural and Cultural History. University of Nevada Press. ISBN 0-87417-066-4.
