STANDLEY TREES AND SHRUBS OF MEXICO. 51 



in quality in different species, being used for almost every purpose for which 

 wood is commonly employed. In the mountains of Mexico large quantities of 

 pine lumber are sawed and much is exported. 



The resinous juice is of great economic importance, being the source of 

 turpentine, resin, tar, and other products. When the juice, which is obtained 

 by tapping the trees, is distilled, oil or spirits of turpentine is produced. This 

 has many well-known uses in the arts and in medicine. The residue left from 

 the distillation is the resin of commerce. By crude distillation of the wood, 

 pine tar is obtained, with a residue of charcoal. Tar subjected to distillation 

 yields oil of tar and a thick residue known as naval pitch. 



Pine wood is used extensively in Mexico for fuel. Bundles of splinters of 

 pitch pine to be used in starting fires are seen commonly in the markets. Some 

 of the North American Indians in times of famine have used the sapwood and 

 inner bark for food, and they have also employed strips of the inner bark for 

 making baskets. Some tribes still use resin to waterproof baskets and jars 

 of wickerwork. 



Pine leaves are sometimes mixed in adobe bricks in place of straw. The 

 leaves are very tough, and the longer ones occasionally serve as a substitute 

 for twine. The branches are employed in some localities for thatching. A 

 volatile oil obtained from the leaves is used in medicine, and pine tar also is 

 employed medicinally. The cones are used in place of combs by some of the 

 Indian tribes. 



The pines are often planted for ornamental purposes, and some of the 

 Mexican species have been cultivated in Europe, although few of them thrive 

 there. Pinus halepensis Mill, and P. pinea L., European species, are said to be 

 cultivated in Mexican parks. 



In Mexico pines are most generally known under the names " pino " (Spanish) 

 and " ocote," the latter a corruption of the Nahuatl " ocotl." Besides the ver- 

 nacular names listed imder the various species, the following names are applied 

 to Mexican pines, although it is uncertain to which species they belong : " Pino 

 barbon " (Durango) ; "pino triste " (Durango) ; "pino de azflcar " (Durango; 

 "perhaps P. ayacahuite") ; "pino prieto " (Durango, Sinaloa) ; " guiri-biche " 

 (Oaxaca, Zapotec, Reko). 



In 1857 there was publishe<l in the City of Mexico a " Catalogue de Graines 

 de Conif^res Mexicains " by B. Roezl & Cia. In this 82 new species of Mexican 

 pines were described, nearly all from the Valley of Mexico. The most compe- 

 tent students of the genus have concluded that all these new names are prop- 

 erly referable to earlier published species. It does not seem necessary to list 

 the numerous names in synonymy here, but those who wish to refer to them 

 will find them tabulated in Shaw's monograph referred to above. 



Leaves 1 or 2 in a fascicle. 



Leaves solitary 1. P. monophylla. 



Leaves 2 in a fascicle. 



Leaf sheaths deciduous ; leaves 2 to 4 cm. long 2. P. edulis. 



Leaf sheaths persistent ; leaves 3 to 8 cm. long 26. P. contorta. 



Leaves 3 or more in a fascicle. 

 Leaves 4 to 5 cm. long or shorter. 



Leaves 3 in a fascicle 3. P. cembroides. 



Leaves 4 in a fascicle 4. P. quadrifolia. 



Leaves 6 cm. long or longer. 

 Leaves 15 to 40 cm. long. 



Sheaths of the leaves deciduous. 



Leaves in fascicles of 5 ; cones 20 to 45 cm. long 7. P. ayacahuite. 



Leaves in fascicles 3; cones 5 to 7 cm. long 13. P. lumholtzii. 



