Hispaniolan Pine
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| Pinus occidentalis Sw. |
The Hispaniolan Pine (Pinus occidentalis) is a pine endemic to the island of Hispaniola, where it is the predominant species in the Hispaniolan pine forests of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Hispaniolan Pines are found mixed with broadleaf trees from 850 meters elevation to 2100 meters elevation, and occur in pure stands above 2100 meters elevation up to the 3087 m summit of Pico Duarte, the highest point on the island. They are sometimes found in the lowland Hispaniolan moist forests ecoregion, in areas where poor acidic laterite soils predominate.
It is a medium-sized tree, growing to 20-30 m tall with an open crown. The leaves are dark green, needle-like, in fascicles of three, four or five together, 11-18 cm long and 1-1.5 mm thick. The cones are 5-8 cm long, glossy dark brown, with a small prickle on each scale; they mature in about 18 months and open to release the seeds, which are 4-5 mm long with a 15 mm wing.
Symbiotic relationships with ectomycorrhizal fungi enable Hispaniolan Pines to grow on shallow, infertile soils.
The closely related Cuban Pine (P. cubensis), native to eastern Cuba, is treated as synonymous by some botanists.
[edit] References
- Conifer Specialist Group (2000). Pinus occidentalis. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006.
