Apache Pine
Encyclopedia
Pinus engelmannii, commonly known as the Apache Pine, is a tree
of Northern Mexico
, in the Sierra Madre Occidental
with its range extending a short distance into the United States
in southwestern New Mexico
and southeastern Arizona
. This pine
is a medium-sized species with a height of 20-30 m and a trunk diameter of 35-80 cm.
The branches are sparse and very stout, giving the tree a distinct appearance. The needles, among the longest of any pine, are in bundles of three (occasionally five), 20-40 cm long, stout, and spreading to slightly drooping. The cones are 8-16 cm long, green or purple when growing, maturing glossy brown, moderately oblique with stoutly spined scales on the outer side (facing away from the branch). The Apache pine sometimes shows a grass stage like the related Michoacan Pine (P. devoniana) and also Longleaf Pine (P. palustris).
The English name refers to the species' occurrence in the lands of the Apache Native Americans
, while the scientific name commemorates the pioneering American botanist George Engelmann
who discovered the species in 1848. Engelmann first named the species Pinus macrophylla, but this name had already been used for another pine, so it had to be re-named; this was done by the French botanist Carrière, who chose to honour Engelmann.
Apache Pine was sometimes treated as a variety of Ponderosa Pine in the past (as P. ponderosa var. mayriana), but it is now universally regarded as a distinct species.
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
of Northern Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, in the Sierra Madre Occidental
Sierra Madre Occidental
The Sierra Madre Occidental is a mountain range in western Mexico.-Setting:The range runs north to south, from just south of the Sonora–Arizona border southeast through eastern Sonora, western Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Durango, Zacatecas, Nayarit, Jalisco, Aguascalientes to Guanajuato, where it joins...
with its range extending a short distance into the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in southwestern New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
and southeastern Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
. This pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
is a medium-sized species with a height of 20-30 m and a trunk diameter of 35-80 cm.
The branches are sparse and very stout, giving the tree a distinct appearance. The needles, among the longest of any pine, are in bundles of three (occasionally five), 20-40 cm long, stout, and spreading to slightly drooping. The cones are 8-16 cm long, green or purple when growing, maturing glossy brown, moderately oblique with stoutly spined scales on the outer side (facing away from the branch). The Apache pine sometimes shows a grass stage like the related Michoacan Pine (P. devoniana) and also Longleaf Pine (P. palustris).
The English name refers to the species' occurrence in the lands of the Apache Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, while the scientific name commemorates the pioneering American botanist George Engelmann
George Engelmann
George Engelmann, also known as Georg Engelmann, was a German-American botanist. He was instrumental in describing the flora of the west of North America, then very poorly-known; he was particularly active in the Rocky Mountains and northern Mexico.-Origins:George Engelmann was born in Frankfurt...
who discovered the species in 1848. Engelmann first named the species Pinus macrophylla, but this name had already been used for another pine, so it had to be re-named; this was done by the French botanist Carrière, who chose to honour Engelmann.
Apache Pine was sometimes treated as a variety of Ponderosa Pine in the past (as P. ponderosa var. mayriana), but it is now universally regarded as a distinct species.