PINACEAE 



Sugar Pine 

 Pinus lambertiana Dougl. 



HABIT. The largest American pine, commonly 175-200 

 feet high and 3-5 feet in diameter (max. 246 by 10 feet); on 

 good sites with a long, clear bole and a short crown of large, 

 often contorted, horizontal branches. 



LEAVES. In fascicles of 5; 2-4 inches long; stouter than in 

 white pine; twisted; blue- to gray-green; persistent 2-3 years; 

 sheath deciduous; margin with minute teeth; often silvery 

 with conspicuous white lines of stomata. 



FLOWERS. Male yellow; female bright pink with purple 

 scale margins. 



FRUIT. Cones long-stalked; 10-26 inches long and 4—5 

 inches in diameter; scales slightly thicker and more rigid than 

 in white pine, unarmed and with terminal umbo. Seed: Yi 

 inch long, dark brown to black, with wing l-lYz inches long. 



TWIGS. Slender to stout; at first rusty-pubescent, later smooth 

 and orange-brown. Winter buds: Vz inch long, sharp-pointed, 

 chestnut-brown . 



BARK. On young stems thin, smooth, and gray-green; on 

 mature boles lJ/^-4 inches thick, in thick platelike ridges covered 

 with purplish to reddish scales. 



WOOD. Very important; similar to white pine but more 

 coarse in texture; sash, door, pattern work, etc.; a sweet, sugar- 

 like substance, pinite, exudes from wounds and gives the tree 

 its name. 



SILVICAL CHARACTERS. Intolerant; maturity reached 

 in 200-350 years (extreme age 623 years); reproduction gen- 

 erally sparse; tree windfirm with well developed tap and lat- 

 eral root system; blister rust and bark beetles cause damage. 



HABITAT. Transition zone; altitudinal range from 3,000- 

 10,000 feet; best development on west slopes of Sierra range 

 between 4,500-5,500 feet; in mixed stands with ponderosa 

 and Jeffrey pines, Douglas-fir, and other conifers; on cooler 

 and moister sites than associated pines. 



[7] 



