The Trees of Vermont * 31 



PINACEAE 



Gray Pine. Jack Pine 

 Pinus banksiana Lamb. [Piniis divaricata (Ait.) DuMont de 



Cours.] 



Habit. — Usually a small tree 15-30 feet high, with a trunk di- 

 ameter of 8-12 inches; forming usually a scrubby, stunted, and vari- 

 ously distorted crown. 



Leaves. — In clusters of two; about 1 inch long; narrow-linear, 

 wnth sharp-pointed apex; stout, curved or twisted, divergent from a 

 short sheath ; dark gray-green. Persistent 2-3 years. 



Flowers. — May-June ; monoecious ; the staminate in oblong clus- 

 ters Yz inch long, composed of many sessile, yellow anthers imbricated 

 upon a central axis ; the pistillate in subglobose clusters, composed of 

 many carpel-like, purple scales (subtended by small bracts) spirally 

 arranged upon a central axis. 



Fruit. — Autumn of second or third season, but remaining closed 

 for several years and persistent on the tree for 10-15 years; erect, 

 usually incurved, oblong-conical, sessile cones, 1^-2 inches long; scales 

 thickened at the apex ; seeds triangular, nearly black, Y^ inch long, with 

 wings Yt, inch long. 



Winter-buds. — Terminal bud Ya "^^h long, ovoid, rounded, pale 

 brown ; lateral buds smaller. 



Bark. — Twigs yellow-green, becoming purple, finally dark red- 

 brown and rough with the persistent bases of fallen leaves ; thin, dark 

 red-brown on the trunk, with shallow, rounded ridges, rough-scaly on 

 the surface. 



Wood. — Light, soft, weak, close-grained, light brown, with thick, 

 whitish sapwood. 



Distribution. — Reported at Monkton and Starksboro in Addison 

 county and at Fairfax in Franklin county ; but few trees at each station. 



Habitat. — Sandy, sterile soil ; rocky slopes. 



Notes. — The gray pine is the smallest of the Vermont pines, with 

 sprawling habit and short stout leaves, giving the tree a bristly, stunted 

 appearance. Its characteristic cones are pointed and curved toward 

 the main axis of the stem, often partially encircling it. The gray pine 

 is a northern species extending to the Arctic region, and the line of its 

 southeastern limit passes through northern Vermont. It is one of the 

 rarest of our trees, and but few specimens are known to occur within 

 our State borders. The remaining trees should be sought out and 

 spared because of their scientific interest. 



