Qiaojia Pine
Encyclopedia
Qiaojia Pine, Pinus squamata, zh
: 巧家五针松) is a critically endangered
pine
native to a single locality consisting of about 20 trees in northeast Yunnan
, China
, at about 2200 m elevation.
Qiaojia Pine was discovered in April 1991 by Pangzhao J.Q. It was studied later that year and described the following year by Li Xiang-Wang. It shows similarities to Rzedowski's Pinyon and some other pinyon pine
s.
Qiaojia Pine, Pinus squamata, has a conic crown with flaky pale gray-green bark becoming dark brown with age, similar to the closely related Lacebark Pine. The shoots are reddish to greenish brown and may be pubescent or glabrous. The leaves
are drooping in fascicles of 4 or 5, 9-17 cm long by 0.8 mm wide, glossy green above with white stoma
tal bands on the underside.
The cones
are conic to ovoid, reddish brown, and 9 cm long by 6 cm broad when open. They open at maturity in September to October of the second year to release the oblong black seeds, 4-5 mm long with a 16 mm wing.
, Pinus torreyana, being the next most rare pine species. It is a Critically endangered
species.
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
: 巧家五针松) is a critically endangered
Critically endangered
Version 2010.3 of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 3744 Critically Endangered species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and subpopulations.Critically Endangered by kingdom:*1993 Animalia*2 Fungi*1745 Plantae*4 Protista-References:...
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:...
native to a single locality consisting of about 20 trees in northeast Yunnan
Yunnan
Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, at about 2200 m elevation.
Qiaojia Pine was discovered in April 1991 by Pangzhao J.Q. It was studied later that year and described the following year by Li Xiang-Wang. It shows similarities to Rzedowski's Pinyon and some other pinyon pine
Pinyon pine
The pinyon pine group grows in the southwestern United States and in Mexico. The trees yield edible pinyon nuts, which were a staple of the Native Americans, and are still widely eaten...
s.
Description
Its mature height is unknown because none of the living trees are yet mature, but they could possibly grow to 30 m or greater. Its habitat is open secondary woodland, scrub, and grassland mixed with Yunnan Pine.Qiaojia Pine, Pinus squamata, has a conic crown with flaky pale gray-green bark becoming dark brown with age, similar to the closely related Lacebark Pine. The shoots are reddish to greenish brown and may be pubescent or glabrous. The leaves
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
are drooping in fascicles of 4 or 5, 9-17 cm long by 0.8 mm wide, glossy green above with white stoma
Stoma
In botany, a stoma is a pore, found in the leaf and stem epidermis that is used forgas exchange. The pore is bordered by a pair of specialized parenchyma cells known as guard cells that are responsible for regulating the size of the opening...
tal bands on the underside.
The cones
Conifer cone
A cone is an organ on plants in the division Pinophyta that contains the reproductive structures. The familiar woody cone is the female cone, which produces seeds. The male cones, which produce pollen, are usually herbaceous and much less conspicuous even at full maturity...
are conic to ovoid, reddish brown, and 9 cm long by 6 cm broad when open. They open at maturity in September to October of the second year to release the oblong black seeds, 4-5 mm long with a 16 mm wing.
Conservation
Pinus squamata is the rarest of world pine species, with the endangered Torrey PineTorrey Pine
The Torrey Pine, Pinus torreyana, is the rarest pine species in the United States, an endangered species growing only in San Diego County and on one of the Channel Islands, endemic to the coastal sage and chaparral ecoregion in the U.S...
, Pinus torreyana, being the next most rare pine species. It is a Critically endangered
Critically endangered
Version 2010.3 of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 3744 Critically Endangered species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and subpopulations.Critically Endangered by kingdom:*1993 Animalia*2 Fungi*1745 Plantae*4 Protista-References:...
species.